Following a 40-minute executive session, the Pike County Board of Supervisors at its Friday meeting granted a request for a freeport warehouse tax exemption for New York-based Biflex Intimates Group.
The exemption will allow the company a property tax exemption on some personal property — in this case, inventory shipped out of state.
“This gets us back in line with the agreement made by the prior board,” said District 3 Supervisor Chuck Lambert. “They’ll have to submit information that shows inventory shipped outside the state.”
County Administrator Andrew Alford said Friday afternoon that Biflex is in the process of getting those figures to supervisors.
Biflex representatives Ian Hittman and Scott Kingsley requested the exemption in May. Biflex has warehouses in Summit and Fernwood, but a portion of the merchandise is shipped out of state.
At the time of the request, company representatives reported that the two county locations had a combined personal property value of $6,756,651.
The exemption will allow Biflex to pay taxes on similar amounts in the future, even if the personal property’s worth increases. In May, Hittman said the value of the locally stored merchandise could reach $10 million, but probably would not exceed that.
Biflex’s exemption will be similar to the exemption that was granted to Kellwood when it was in operation. Alford said that Kellwood’s agreement was different to an extent because the company manufactured locally, and had to give in-lieu-of-taxes payment on $4 million of inventory.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a resolution declaring its intention to issue general obligation bonds of up to $1.5 million to provide funds for the construction and repair of county buildings, facilities and roads. The board will have two years to decide if the bond will actually be issued.
“I think we can work it to where overall there will be no tax increase,” said Board President Gary Honea. “I think it’s good because it keeps the county moving forward with economic development and all.
“We can stop if we see it’s going to increase taxes. It gives us a chance to watch the economy develop over the next couple of years.”
• Approved a motion to have Alford, county engineer Murray Stewart and road manager Mike Duncan prepare a proposal for minimum road standards for existing and new roads, like those in subdivisions. The current minimum road standards require that a road be paved before it can be accepted by the county. The trio’s task is to craft a proposal for existing roads to be graveled rather than paved.
• Voted 4-1, with District 2 Supervisor Lexie Elmore opposed, to deny a resolution to extend dependent dental coverage for county employees from 24 years old to 26.
• Approved an agreement with Bruce Williams, doing business as Magnolia Landfill LLC. The landfill can be used at no charge by county residents to dispose of non-industrial rubbish and yard waste such as limbs. Contractors have to pay a fee.
• Approved a resolution to release the county’s financial records to the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. The county will release the records between fiscal year 2005 and the current fiscal year. However, the board will not give the center the authority to have future county records delivered without future requests.
• Approved the reinstatement of five homestead exemption applications.
• Voted 4-0, with Bowsky abstaining, to approve a trade of vehicles and equipment with Lincoln County for use by the Southwest Mississippi Narcotics Enforcement Unit, which includes law enforcement officers from both Lincoln and Pike counties. The deal involves the trade of a 2008 Nissan Titan 4-by-4 truck, which Lincoln County will add to its rolls, for a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe and equipment to house the unit canine, which will be added to Pike County’s rolls.
• Approved one pauper burial and the burial of two fetal demises. A request for a third fetal demise burial will be revisited at Monday’s board meeting, as it fell outside the 30-day range the county requires for such burials.
• Denied a request to purchase an ad in the Enterprise-Journal’s “Remembering Katrina” special section.
