Insurance against floods unduly applied, county building codes that require shed light and ball field fixtures sans illumination were part of the county supervisors deliberation Wednesday.

Flood insurance is being charged to a county resident who technically does not live in a flood zone.

County resident Doug Mooney said his property is above flood levels, but the bank he has his mortgage with still requires him to maintain flood insurance. Outdated flood maps state his property is in a flood plain, Mooney said. Director of Planning and Development Harold Holmes said that the county started work with a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in October of 2004 to update the mapping system with a Geographic Information System. The bank would not accept the letter from County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin concerning Mooney’s land being outside the flood zone, they will only accept an updated map, Mooney said.

“I just feel terrible when I get a bill for flood insurance when I should not be paying,” Mooney said. “Somebody needs to put the flood zone map on the front burner.”

Holmes said that Dungan Engineering was working on digitizing information for the maps but were later contracted to debris clean up after the storm, they are now back to reviewing the work on the maps and should have the maps out for public review in 90 days. After the 90 days the public will have opportunity to file appeals on the information in the new maps then county and city officials can give their approval, Holmes said. The entire approval process of the GIS mapping system needs to be completed by April 2007, Holmes said.

Even with the updated maps there is still a problem with county creeks being clogged, affecting the accuracy of any maps issued, District I Supervisor Anthony Hales said. District IV Supervisor Robert Thigpen hopes FEMA will help the county get the creeks flowing again. No action was necessary on the matter at this time.

A series of classes were taught by Carrigee Consulting involving building codes. Chief Building Inspector Kirk Pichon said attendance was light at first with about 20 people, but grew to full capacity by the end of the instruction period.

“We had a lot of interest in the last several classes,” Pichon said.

The board approved adding Carrigee Consulting’s invoice to the docket to be paid with funds from a Hazard Mitigation grant for their instructional services concerning building codes.

Pichon said that a prospective home owner or builder can get a total of eight inspections on a new home for about $760.

Damage to the McNeill ball field is still a main concern as school season begins with ball games to follow. William Frasier, newly elected Pearl River Central Athletic Association president, addressed the board about getting some of the repairs conducted.

“Is there anyway the county can help us get back up on ground one and get going?” Frasier said. “We’re doing our best to stay a float for those children.”

Frasier has noticed that the concession stands and the lights for the field are in disarray, the lights especially need attention since eight bulbs are currently out.

Thigpen asked Road Department Manager Mike Mitchell to look into fixing the blown bulbs at the field. The board will see what they can do with the playing field and the concession stand at a later time.

The board also went into executive session for pending litigation.

In other business the board;

— Approved personnel changes in the Sheriff’s Department.

— Approved replacing two vehicles in the Sheriff’s Department, one with forfeiture funds and the other with insurance funds.

— Approved strikes from tax sales in the Tax Office.

— Made removal of state supplemental roles of homestead exemptions part of the minutes.

— Approved ten percent reductions in the tax office for those who were eligible for homestead exemption but were not able to get it until the next filing season.

— Acknowledged the state tax commissions recapitulation concerning the Tax Assessor’s salary.

— Approved Logan Mason Drive as a private road.

— Approved inventory changes of one drug dog to be added to the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department.

— Approved purchasing a used sweeper for the Road Department for $21,555.

— Approved the purchase of four portable fuel pumps a the cost of $1,539 each to be used in the instance of another emergency.

— Approved asking the payroll clerk to poll all county employees concerning direct deposit.