By Rupert Howell
Supervisors elected second term District Five member Cole Flint to lead that board as president during the term’s first meeting Monday in Sardis. Veteran District One Supervisor James Birge will serve the board as vice-president.

Before a packed meeting room supervisors also unanimously re-employed all county officials who work at the “will and pleasure” of the board with one ‘mass’ motion from District Three Supervisor John Thomas including: County Administrator Kelley Magee, engineer Larry Britt, road manager Lygunnah Bean and attorney Bill McKenzie.

As board president, Flint will lead the agenda and discussion during meetings and also has a vote, unlike boards of mayor and aldermen where the mayor presides and only votes to break ties.

Flint has been outspoken board member during his time in office and said following the meeting, “James (Birge) said he didn’t want it, (the board president position).”

Prior to Monday’s meeting Birge quipped to a reporter, “Seems like board presidents don’t last too, long,” remembering that the last few board presidents either lost an election or passed away.

Flint operates a document shredding operation as well as being involved in the family’s historic hardware business on the Batesville Downtown Square.

Supervisors have two regular meetings each month, one in each court district. The first Monday meeting is in Sardis at the Courthouse and the second Monday meeting is in Batesville, both begin at 9 a.m.