By Billy Davis

Panola County’s road department has received nine requests from homeowners for a culvert since a policy was implemented to track them, supervisors were told Monday.

“I know of no problems,” road manager Lygunnah Bean reported to the county board.
Bean went on to explain that culverts requested for private driveways are “priority two” while culverts needed for road work are “priority one.”

The road department is keeping track of its “priority one” culverts, too, and permits have been obtained for nine of those as well.

The current Board of Supervisors is in its third month of a new term, with new board president Kelly Morris and two newly elected officials, John Thomas and Cole Flint.

Not long after they took office, Morris and the two new supervisors suggested a tracking system for culverts to confirm where and how taxpayers’ money is spent.

The road department spent approximately $200,000 last year on culverts, Thomas has said.
The new county board has also addressed school bus turnarounds, attempting to clamp down on suspected abuse of their use across the county.

Some of the supervisors are set to meet with South Panola trustees next Tuesday to discuss the turnaround procedures.

The culvert permits, which are free, are obtained at the county’s land development office in Batesville.
Bean said Monday that Michael Purdy, who oversees the office, is snapping photos of each installed culvert in addition to the permit.

“So everything is going good?” Morris asked Purdy.

“I’m doing a lot of riding,” Purdy jokingly responded.  

In other county business:

•Huron Smith Oil Co. owner Don Smith addressed the county board about the cost of bulk fuel for the road department.

It was not made clear why Smith addressed supervisors over the issue, though Morris explained after the meeting that Bean is considering using Fuel Man cards instead of purchasing bulk fuel.

Smith currently has the bid to supply fuel for the road department, Morris said.
Huron Smith supplied county shops in Sardis and Courtland with fuel last year at an approximate cost of $79,000, Smith told supervisors.

“Nobody can beat Mr. Huron’s price,” Bean agreed, though he said Fuel Man can show a paper trail of fuel purchases.

“It’s about accountability and transparency,” Bean added.

Supervisors did not take any action on the matter.

•The county board voted to renew its contract with Mississippi Court Collections at the request of business spokesman Scooter Culpepper.

Culpepper said the contract had expired in December.

The company has collected $1.5 million in past-due fees for justice court and mobile home taxes since 2008, he said.

•Board attorney Bill McKenzie addressed the bankruptcy filing by LS Energy.

Supervisors voted to join the City of Batesville and the South Panola School District to hire an attorney to represent their interests in the bankruptcy.

“I don’t know anything except that we need to get in the fight,” McKenzie said. The bankruptcy was filed in Delaware, he said.