A Pike County supervisor came up with yet another way to spend anticipated American Recovery Plan funds if the county can show lost revenue due to COVID-19.
Tazwell Bowsky suggested Friday the county buy two ambulances and give them to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, which in turn can let AAA ambulance service use them to increase response times around the county.
On a more ambitious note, he suggested building a new hospital cafeteria and waiting room.
Bowsky said supervisors could ask municipalities in the county to help out.
Also, the hospital water system needs upgrading, he said.
“When the water system shuts down, they need to carry water in buckets,” Bowsky said.
The county is theoretically entitled to $7.6 million under the federal plan to help communities recover from COVID-19, but most of the money is earmarked for water, sewer and internet, with which supervisors have little to do.
However, they can get some money if they can show lost revenue from COVID, and they’ve hired former supervisor Chuck Lambert to calculate that.
Supervisors have proposed using the anticipated money to hire two new sheriff’s deputies, reimburse employees for hazard pay during the worst of the pandemic and make upgrades to the jail.
