Cindy Hendry

The board meeting addressed several operational and financial matters. Key discussions included reviewing the Jasper General Budget for 2025-2026, although no bids were received for the equipment sale for Beat 2. Approvals covered claims, payrolls for October 2025, and an amended budget for FY 2024-2025. The board also approved inventory changes, acknowledged receipt of a cash report for Justice Court, and accepted a $5,000.00 donation from Leaf River Energy for Emergency Management. Further actions included acknowledging receipt of a 'Drug Dog' donation for the Sheriff's Department and adopting Junior Firefighter Program By-Laws to ensure full VFIS insurance coverage. Approvals were granted for travel and expenses for instructor classes and legal concepts training. Furthermore, the board approved 16th section residential lease agreements, maintenance agreements for IBM Delta software and security at the Jasper County Jail, and a contract for auctioning equipment for Beat 2. Approval was also given for a Waste Tire Grant application and payments for radio purchases for Bay Springs Volunteer Fire Department and a tax sale reimbursement. Employment actions included the approval of new part-time and full-time hires for the Sheriff's department and Beat 2, and the termination of one employee from Beat 5. Pay raises for Beat 1 employees were also approved. The board entered and exited executive session to discuss property in the industrial park without taking action.

The board unanimously approved several items, including claims and payrolls for November 2025. Key actions involved approving an audit contract amendment with Wolfe, McDuffe, and Oppie to include potential single audit work for FY 2024-2025, and approving payments for Central Mississippi Emergency Medical Services District dues and a Land Option installment for the second district industrial park fund. Solid waste refunds were approved for two sold properties. The board accepted the resignation of one dispatcher and approved the full-time employment of a replacement dispatcher, Haleigh Frazier, for the Sheriff's Department. Employment of a new comptroller, Nila Cromwell, was also approved, along with authorizing her as an administrator on Board of Supervisors bank accounts. Travel and expenses for the Board of Supervisors and Attorney to attend the 2nd annual Hol-Mac Summit in April 2026 were approved, as was advertising for the County Depository for calendar year 2026. Authority was granted for Beat 1 to spend up to $5,000.00 per acre for rights-of-way on CR 8. The board entered and exited executive session to discuss personnel matters and employing personnel for the board of supervisors. Finally, the board voted to recess to a special called meeting scheduled for November 20, 2025.

The board meeting involved procedural steps concerning confidential matters. The board first voted to enter a closed session to deliberate on the necessity of an executive session to discuss county personnel matters. Subsequently, the board moved into executive session specifically to discuss county personnel. Following this, the executive session was closed with no official action taken.

The board meeting included acknowledging the receipt of Jasper County Jail Meal Logs for September 2025 and the land redemption collection report for August 2025. Claims for October 6, 2025, and the inventory report as of October 1, 2025, were approved. Key actions involved approving lease purchase quotes from Magnolia State Bank for Mini Excavators for Beat 2 and Beat 5. The board also acknowledged receipt of the 2024 insolvent roll and approved tax assessment changes for 2025. A voiding of a 2023-03 tax sale and issuance of a refund was approved. Several travel and expense approvals were made, including attendance at the Partners in Preparedness Conference and other various training classes. The employment of a part-time deputy for the Sheriff's Department was approved, as well as paying the employer portion of retirement for Chancery and Circuit Clerks. A one-third salary match for the Honorable Brian Mayo, Family Master, was approved. Dues for the National Association of Counties were approved. A Solid Waste refund was approved, and payments were authorized for the remaining federal balance owed from FEMA 4536DR to several Volunteer Fire Departments. Payments were approved for debris clean-up in the Lake Eddins Community and for several bridge projects on CR 24 and CR 16. The board approved a correction to the county road register for CR 3333 and approved a Nunc Pro Tunc quote for a Skidsteer for Beat 3. Pay raises were approved for an employee in Beat 5 and for Crystal McCord for cleaning the Buster Hamm building. The full-time employment of a new staff member for Beat 3 was approved. Discussion items included a Library Appointment for Beat 4, securing a quote for a Skidsteer, a pay raise for the Beat 5 cleaning lady, securing networks, the MAS Scholarship application timeline, and the EDD Meeting scheduled for October 14, 2025.

The board meeting addressed several administrative and financial actions. Key items included acknowledging receipt of Jasper County Jail Meal Logs for November 2025 and a land redemption collection report for October 2025. The board approved various claims and a 16th section lease agreement with East Jasper School District. Financial approvals involved payment of 2026 Chancery Clerk dues, payments to MAGCO, Inc. and N.L. Carson Construction for bridge projects on CR 24 and CR 16 respectively, and payment to Chas. N. Clark Associates for related bridge project oversight. The board authorized Hudson Jenkins to apply for the RFTAAP-Round 11 Grant seeking $70,000.00 towards purchasing a new tanker/pumper fire truck for the Bay Springs Volunteer Fire Department. A contract with Taylor Auctions to sell eight vehicles for the Jasper County Sheriff's Department was approved. Travel expenses for Nila Cromwell to attend the 2026 Mid-Winter Legislative Conference were approved, as was the expenditure for advertising county resources with The Post and WIZK for the Christmas Holiday. Personnel actions included entering and closing executive sessions to discuss personnel matters, approving consultation services from Watkins and Eager for Human Resources, and approving the full-time employment of Ryanne Nacole Brown as clerical help for the Board of Supervisors, effective January 5, 2026. Discussion topics at the end included a Library Appointment for Beat 4, LSBP Forfeiture of Funds, the Junior Livestock Association event schedule, and a price list from Stafford Vegetation Services.