By Billy Davis

Panola Sheriff Hugh “Shot” Bright asked supervisors Monday to transfer $150,000 from the county’s general fund and authorize a six-year payment plan for a helicopter he wants to purchase.

Bright did not retreat from his stated promise to use drug-seized funds to purchase the aircraft, but he said the sheriff’s department will not receive enough funds to make a lump-sum payment for the helicopter.

Some of those drug-seized funds are “tied up in federal court,” he told the board.

“As soon as you get (the seized funds), pay it off,” Supervisor Bubba Waldrup told the sheriff.

Prompted by board attorney Bill McKenzie, supervisors agreed to request bids for the purchase of a used helicopter.

“I think we need to go through the bidding process. You’ve got to jump through the hoops,” McKenzie told the sheriff and supervisors.

Bright stated over the summer that he is eyeing a helicopter currently in use by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department.

Faced with a tight county budget, the sheriff had already agreed to move the helicopter purchase, and also the purchase of sidearms for deputies, from a line item in his budget to a purchase made by drug-seized funds.

McKenzie also asked about financing for the helicopter, prompting a response from county administrator Kelley Magee.

“I think you’ve called around,” McKenzie said, referring to Magee.

“And I can’t find anyone to finance one,” Magee responded.