By Billy Davis

Panola County is mulling a permitting process to track the number of culverts and their placement, county supervisors said Monday during an ad hoc discussion with their road manager.

In the boardroom in Batesville, supervisors and road manager Lygunnah Bean huddled after their regular meeting to discuss culverts. It was not clear how the discussion began but supervisors were reacting to complaints that surfaced during the regular meeting.  

The county board voted 5-0 to place a culvert for Demario Brownlee, after the homeowner came with a photo showing that his current culvert had fallen in and needs replacing.

Brownlee was concerned because supervisors have halted installing culverts. “I’ve got an emergency case,” he said.

The road department has stopped placing culverts but that action is temporary, Board President Kelly Morris.

“Right now we’re putting in more culverts in driveways than we’re repairing roads. We’re just trying to get a handle on it,” Morris said.

Bean explained that a contractor had placed the culvert improperly, which caused it to be damaged.

“I definitely think it needs to be fixed,” said Supervisor John Thomas. The board agreed and then voted unanimously for the road department to fix Brownlee’s entrance.

The issue was raised later in the meeting when Albert Norwood said he was concerned about the new policy. Most families cannot afford to purchase a culvert and rent a backhoe to install it, he said.

“That’s what we’re trying to resolve — the issue of spending,” Morris replied. The road department spent approximately $200,000 during the previous fiscal year purchasing culverts, he explained.

“We’ve spent a lot of money on culverts — a lot of money,” added Supervisor Cole Flint.

A second visitor, David Wilbourne, explained that he heard rumors Panola County government wasn’t working on its rights of way anymore, leaving those problems to private citizens.

Morris described the easements from the center of the road to the driveway entrance, but it was unclear if Wilbourne left satisfied the rumors were untrue.

Among the previous five-member board, Morris has solely questioned frequent installation of culverts, and the current Board includes two new members — Thomas and Flint — who questioned road department spending during recent elections.

Installation of culverts and other work by the road department, such as patching potholes, has been discussed at every meeting since January 2, when the new board began its four-year term.

After supervisors recessed Monday, back-and-forth talk between supervisors  attracted other supervisors and Bean.

“We need to do a better job of managing what we put in,” Morris told colleagues.

Daniel Cole, Panola County’s EMA director, reminded supervisors that his office gathers E-911 addresses, which is usually done before a culvert is installed.

“What about farmers?” Morris asked. “Do you have 911 addresses for those?”

“Yes,” Cole replied. “We’ve got addresses like that all over the county.”  

Morris and Bean said a list of culvert permits would create a paper trail showing where culverts were installed.

“I would like that,” Flint said. “I could look at that and see where culverts have been installed.”

Bean and supervisors “dismissed” from their meeting with an agreement to return with specific instructions that may be added to the county’s current policy governing installation of culverts.