By Rupert Howell
Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure is scheduled to administer the oath of office to recently elected Panola County officials who will take the pledge this morning at 9 a.m. at the Panola County Courthouse in Batesville when current and new swear to uphold the laws of the State of Mississippi and the United States.
Of county-wide, court district and supervisor candidates to be sworn in, only two will be new to their positions including Second Court District Judge Charlie Baglan and District Four Supervisor-elect Donald Phelps.
Baglan escaped a large field of during the Democratic primary to earn the right to take a slate of independents in November’s general election after incumbent Willie E. Joiner decided to retire after holding the position for three decades.
Likewise, Phelps took on incumbent Democrat Kelly Morris and others in the August Primary winning in a run-off and then moved to the general election taking on all independents and a Republican to win the position.
One of Phelps’ first first votes will be to elect a board of supervisor president to assume the board leadership position of the supervisor he replaced.
Baglan will be somewhat familiar with his new position as he is a lawyer, the First Justice Court Judge in Panola to have a law degree. Although no stranger to criminal or civil law, since elected he has threatened to be ‘hard on littering’ stating that he is tired of looking at garbage and litter along Panola’s roads and highways.
Others to be sworn in this morning include: Sheriff Dennis Darby, Circuit Clerk Melissa Meek-Phelps, Chancery Clerk Jim Pitcock, Tax Assessor-Collector David Garner,  County Prosecutor C. Gaines Baker, Coroner Gracie Grant-Gullege, Supervisors District One, James Birge, Two-Vernice Avant, Three, John Thomas, Phelps and Five-Cole Flint.
Incumbent constables Buck Harris of the First Judicial District and Ray Hawkins of the Second will be sworn in along with judge-elect Baglan and incumbent First District Justice Court Judge Mike Wilson.