The Leflore County Board of Supervisors decided Monday to continue COVID-19-related restricted access to the courthouse into the first part of May.
District 2 Supervisor Reginald Moore moved that the board wait to consider fully opening the courthouse until the board meets on May 11. At that time, he said, the board could “look at our numbers,” a reference to the county’s COVID-19 cases.
The motion passed 4-0. District 3 Supervisor Anjuan Brown was not present.
For the time being, visitors must enter by the north door, where a guard is taking the temperatures of all who enter, and they must wear masks. Gloves are being supplied. Appointments are required.
The county recently had a new telephone system installed at the courthouse. The system has experienced a number of problems, but these are being resolved, the board was told. A call Monday went directly to the office sought. Officials also can be contacted by email.
In a related matter, Moore and Board President Robert Collins, who represents District 5, said the county’s curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. will remain in place indefinitely.
Undersheriff Ken Spencer said the curfew is allowing the sheriff’s department to break up crowds. Deputies recently shut down a store in Sidon that had only four people inside but 40 outside.
Also Monday, the board — after months of trying to make headway in plans to replace the Lake Henry Bridge on County Road 537 near Itta Bena — accepted a low bid for the bridge’s construction of more than $1.5 million from Malouf Construction LLC of Greenwood. The two other bids were more than $1.7 million from Century Construction Group of Tupelo and approximately $1.8 million from Dozer LLC of Natchez.
In another matter, Shane Correro, county engineer, was instructed to contact CN railway about railroad crossings in the county that, according to Jerry Smith, road manager, are now dangerous for 18-wheelers to cross. The board wants a representative of CN to come to its next meeting May 4.
Smith said he is particularly concerned about a crossing on County Road 511 in Sidon, where the big trucks had trouble until the county spent $18,000 adjusting the grade of the crossing.
“We had eliminated the problem,” he said. But then CN “put a new rail on it. Someone needs to come in and help.”
nContact Susan Montgomery at 581-7241 or smontgomery@gwcommonwealth.com.
