By Myra Bean

The Como Board heard about workforce problems and many requests for upcoming events in its monthly board meeting, Tuesday, April 9.

It seems a construction company is having trouble finding employees who know how to work, a trend that Panola Partnership executive director Joe Azar is trying to combat.

Trent Johnson manages the gas system in Como and also works for another company, Mid-South Water and Piping, a construction company. It has about 40 employees.

Johnson has almost 45 years with the company and serves as the safety manager, deals with federal compliance and does all the training

“Right now we are having a real tough time hiring people. Can’t hardly find them. When you find people that want to work, they don’t know how to work. I hire people on a regular basis that don’t know how to use a shovel. They look at the shovel and turn it backwards. They don’t know what a pipe wrench is,” Johnson told the Board.

What he proposed is to put in a small training facility on South Main St., owned by Mark Lipscomb and rented by Mid-South.

It will be a 14’ x 40’ portable metal building on blocks. The building will be fenced in and the drive graveled. There will be water, sewer, heating and air conditioning but no living space.

Johnson will move his office from City Hall to that building.

He will train no more than five people at a time, one week at a time.

“I will see if I can get these people where they at least know how to go out in the field. Because when we send them out in the field now, they don’t have a clue what they are doing, why they are doing it. The work we do is we install natural gas pipelines. We install and arrange everywhere from a 1/2” diameter to 24” in diameter. If nothing else, they have to know how dangerous this stuff is they are working with,” Johnson said.

He will build stuff around the building to train and have a backhoe which is already sitting on the lot about where he will put the house.

The predicted project should be finished around mid-summer.

In other business, John Mulhouse, 604 Coleman St., Como received permission to put in a 16×54 storage facility at the back of his house.

In department reports, Fire Chief Aaron Coleman reported seven grass fives, five accidents and three EMR calls.

Assistant Police Chief Faye Pettis reported Como has been quiet.

Attorney Ravonda Griffin presented a letter to be signed by the Mayor for the owner of the property at the corner of 310 and Highway 51 for clean up.

Upcoming Como Events

Alderman Teresa Dishmon said the Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, April 20 at the Como park from 10 a.m. to noon.

Saturday, April 27, will be a clean up day. Mrs. Chris Griffin is organizing the event at the Main St. church. Volunteers will meet from 7:30 to 8 a.m. for breakfast and then clean up. Volunteers are needed and need to bring their own gloves.

National Day of Prayer will be held Thursday, May 2, at Como City Hall at 5 p.m.

The Como Librarywill have a reception, Thursday, May 9 at 5 p.m. All city employees are invited.

Marcequis Bradley will host a Family and Friends Saturday May 18, noon to 4 p.m.  His purpose is a positive reinforcement in the community. There will be food served, arts and crafts, games and more for entertainment.

Sherina Boyce asked to hold the third annual R.L. Boyce Picnic and Blues Celebration Saturday, Aug. 31 in the Como Park.