Walthall County supervisors fielded complaints about the condition of the courthouse last week.
Tax Assessor Peggy Hilburn said the floor of the vending machine room and elevator lobby on the courthouse’s main floor was “mushy and wet.” She said it is part of a problem that is promoting gnats in the building.
And the gnats are just one insect problem in the courthouse.
“I (bug) bombed in here ... and apparently killed a lot of honeybees in the wall,” Hilburn said. “There was a bunch of dead bees at the front of the building. I used six bombs last week, and I’m going to use nine this week.”
She said the moisture would likely promote mold in the building, as well.
Hilburn also advocated for regular deep cleaning in the building.
“We need a deep cleaning about once a quarter,” she said. “This is the center of the county, and everybody comes here. The courthouse is filthy.”
County purchasing clerk Hannah Bourgeois said she had received one quote for parts and repairs for the courthouse elevator, but had not received a second quote.
She said a repesentative of a second company had agreed to send a quote, but said it would be much higher than the first quote.
Circuit Clerk Vernon Alford said fixing the elevator is important.
“We’re going to be picking a grand jury, and some of them are going to be elderly,” Alford said. “They’re not going to be able to negotiate the stairs.”
“The (circuit and chancery) judges are not happy,” board attorney Conrad Mord added. “It needs to be fixed.”
Given the problems presented by the elevator’s condition, Mord said the county could proceed with repairs on an emergency basis.
Repairs at the sheriff’s department are also on tap for the county.
Sheriff Kyle Breland said quotes to update computers, wiring, door locks and cameras in the jail varied widely, with a new company quoting a little more than the cost of installing new equipment, while the existing service provider offered a continuing service and maintenance agreement for about a quarter of the new company’s quoted cost.
The existing provider, South Western Communications of Decatur, Ala., offered upgraded equipment for $92,102, minus wiring upgrades and new door locks, and a five-year maintenance agreement for $6,947 per year.
B&E Communications of Jackson offered new equipment, including wiring and locks, for $47,990, but the five-year maintenance agreement is $22,870 per year.
The five-year cost for B&E is $139,470, compared to SWC’s $119,800, but Breland said the lock and wiring replacement that is needed would likely push the cost of going with SWC up significantly.
He said SWC also charges a lot for technicians to travel to Tylertown to make repairs, while there is no additional travel charge from B&E.
Mord said the county could justify awarded the project to B&E.
