Lincoln County supervisors approved an automatic renewal of McLane Southern’s free port warehouse tax exemption status at their meeting Monday morning.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to allow the trucking and distribution company a “once and for all renewal” after county attorney Bob Allen presented the paperwork.

“From this point forward, as long as they are a viable business within the community, it should be granted,” Chancery Clerk Tillman Bishop said during the discussion on the resolution Monday.

The measure comes after a discrepancy in the filing process forced McLane Southern to pay the $600,000 tax bill under protest in 2012. However, in their March 18 meeting, supervisors later approved that the money be returned to the company.

In other business, supervisors granted non-exclusive easement of a road in District Four to Verizon Wireless allowing access to a cell phone tower.

Also, Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing was given approval to send deputies Damien Gatlin and Johnny Hall to a leadership conference in New Orleans May 28-30 as well as investigator Byron Catchings to a Drug Abuse Resistance Education recertification in Cincinnati July 16-18.

In addition, Lincoln Civic Center Director Quinn Jordan requested the installation of two new lights between the stall barn and R.V. Park at the civic center. Jordan suggested renting the lights from Entergy would be the most cost-efficient solution. He explained the monthly fee would be $54.85 for a 1,000-watt light and $30.49 for a 400-watt light, which would include initial installation and ongoing maintenance, as well as electricity.

The estimated cost of self-installation would be around $2,500, not including a $65 monthly power bill, Jordan said.

Supervisors approved Jordan’s request.

Jordan also announced the upcoming third annual Mississippi Spring Fest and Fair to take place at the civic center May 8-12 and emphasized that sponsorship is still needed.

“We rely on the community and its support in order to provide quality entertainment to the citizens of Lincoln County and Southwest Mississippi,” he said.