Leflore County will see nearly $70,000 in savings this year on the renewal of its property and liability insurance policy.
Broker Buddy White of SouthGroup Insurance on Monday told supervisors that a bid from Travelers Insurance came in at around $70,000 less than the current premium with Zurich Insurance.
Zurich also bid on a renewal policy at less than the previous year’s cost but was outbid by Travelers — which, White assured, “knows what they’re doing” and insures the largest number of similar governments and their property across the country.
The only difference in coverage is that under the new Travelers policy, two unoccupied buildings —- the old hospital and the old library — will not fall under the blanket of near $40 million replacement costs the policy covers. Instead, each of those buildings will be insured for $500,000 in replacement costs.
The old library, jointly owned by the city and county, has been part of a historic preservation project over the past several years and needs around $500,000 worth of interior work. Once completed and in use, it will be deemed an occupied building and will fall under the county’s blanket coverage.
Also Monday, supervisors heard from John Wiggers of North Central Planning and Development District about the status of the Home Grant program with Mississippi Home Corporation.
The program, which allows homeowners in designated census areas to apply for rehabilitation funds to fix their homes, received 15 applications. Of those, only nine met MHC’s qualifications for the program, and all of those that qualified are not suitable for rehabilitation but need to be reconstructed, Wiggers said.
“There is enough money budgeted to rehabilitate seven homes and to rebuild one,” Wiggers told supervisors.
He asked supervisors to try and enlist a few more applicants so that the county can meet the program’s requirements of rehabbing eight total properties.
District 3 Supervisor Anjuan Brown asked who would decide which household would receive funds for reconstruction if more than one qualified.
A discussion ensued, and District 2 Robert Moore recommended that Wiggers and MHC make the decision to avoid “getting into politics.”
In other action, supervisors approved a final amended contract between the U.S. government and Leflore County for lease of the business incubator building in Itta Bena. The building was occupied by the Marine Corps after the July 10 airplane crash in the western part of the county and was vacated by the military at the end of last week.
Originally a contract for three months’ occupancy was signed for a total of $63,420 with a clause allowing the military two weeks’ notice and pro-rated if they left before the contract ran out.
The renegotiated contract is for $42,280, a total of two months’ rent, beginning July 12 and ending Sept. 10, with no adjustments for leaving early.
Moore opposed the new contract, saying supervisors should have stuck with the original.
Emergency Management Coordinator Fred Randle told supervisors that the last of the Marines pulled out on Saturday and that no timeline has been established for them to “come back for airplane parts” that are reportedly being stored in a warehouse in the Greenwood-Leflore County Industrial Park.
In other county business:
•County Ordinance Officer Otis Abron presented a list of seven unclean and dilapidated properties for public hearing, but no property owners appeared though they had been served notice by certified letter.
Abron requested that the board take action cleaning up the properties that have been deemed unsafe.
District 1 Supervisor Sam Abraham suggested that citations be issued to the property owners. The board decided to delay action until attorney Joyce Chiles can review county ordinance and state code.
It was agreed that in previous attempts by the county to enforce code, they did not have the manpower to go in and clean up the properties themselves and need to place the burden on the homeowners.
•Supervisors approved continuation of a lease agreement for $841 with Anna Prophet for land in the Buckeye Community used by the county as Buckeye Community Park.
•Supervisors approved the closing of Justice Court offices Sept. 13-15 while employees attend an annual convention in Bay St. Louis.
Moore recommended that notices be put up at the courthouse and local media be used to get the word out that court offices will be closed on those days.
•Randle announced a Sept. 7 meeting at the Leflore County Civic Center, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to prepare for a full-scale emergency drill to be staged later that month by the Emergency Management office. An emergency scenario will be presented involving a tornado hitting a heavily occupied building. City and county officials at that meeting will come up jointly with emergency procedures and protocol.
•Supervisors approved a resolution authorizing the signing and distribution of a preliminary statement for the sale of $5 million General Obligation Public Improvement Bonds, and approved a resolution authorizing and directing issuance of those bonds.
•Supervisors will meet at 4 p.m. next Monday to discuss the new fiscal year budget. Between now and then, they will be notified of department head meetings with Christine Lymon to make budget requests for the upcoming year.
•Contact Kathryn Eastburn at 581-7235 or keastburn@gwcommonwealth.com.
