What do you do if you have access to millions of dollars, but with too many restrictions to use it?
That’s what Pike County supervisors have been pondering lately.
The county is entitled to $7.6 million in American Recovery Plan funds, meant to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic effects.
However, the funds are primarily earmarked for water, sewer and internet services, which Pike County supervisors don’t regulate.
“Those are three things we don’t have countywide,” said board president Robert Accardo.
“As it stands right now, we’ve got it but can’t use it,” said Supervisor Sam Hall of the Recovery Act funds.
An exception is Bogue Chitto Water Park, where some funds may go to improve and expand water and sewer infrastructure.
“Bogue Chitto Water Park has water and sewer, so we can make substantial upgrades to that,” Accardo said.
Meanwhile, Supervisor Jake Gazzo has been looking into a loophole: If the county can document revenue lost because of COVID, it can use funds for a wide variety of purposes. Recently the board hired former supervisor Chuck Lambert to document those losses.
Gazzo said if money results, he would like to hire two new sheriff’s deputies and make upgrades at the jail.
Hall expressed concerns that if deputies are hired, the county may not be able to continue paying for them after Recovery Plan funds have run out.
“I’d hate for us to put two on now and come back and we’d have to cut them,” he said.
County administrator Tami Dangerfield estimated the cost of salaries and benefits for two deputies at $113,000 a year, while Sheriff James Brumfield put the amount at $160,000.
Accardo noted that hiring two new deputies would also mean buying cars, uniforms, guns and other equipment.
Gazzo said Brumfield can use the extra help.
“Goodness gracious, with the amount of calls we get, the increased calls, we need it,” Gazzo said.
In other business, supervisors:
• Authorized Neel-Schaffer to oversee grading a second spec lot at Gateway Industrial Park with funds left over from another project. Garrett Smith of Neel-Schaffer said bids came in low to grade a lot for the future National Guard headquarters and a spec lot, leaving enough to grade another 17-acre lot. The money comes from a bond fund that can’t be used for anything else, he noted.
• Heard an update from Smith of two projects. He said construction on the Hamilton Street bridge should begin this winter. And a reseal project on 22 miles of State Aid road should start in November.
• Approved payment of August invoices to Neel-Schaffer totaling $35,577.
• Adopted a set of procedures spelling out the roles of the board of supervisors and the Pike County Economic Development District regarding industrial prospects and properties.
• Approved $66,800 in annual payments to various agencies, including $8,000 to the Boys & Girls Club, $11,000 to Keep Pike Beautiful, $25,000 to Southwest Mississippi Advocacy Center, $1,500 each to Southwest Mississippi Christian Outreach Ministry and the Salvation Army, $10,000 to the Southwest Mississippi Community College Workforce Training Center, $5,000 to American Red Cross and $4,800 to Osyka Library.
