The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday to discuss a budget for radio upgrades for local fire departments and to address the court order served to the board by two 15^th District Circuit Court judges, which demands the renovation of the county courthouse.

The meeting came a couple of days after the board was served a court order by 15^th District Circuit Judges Prentiss Harrell and Anthony Mozingo.

The court order states that preliminary plans to renovate the courthouse must be implemented within 90 days. It also states the aesthetic and safety reasons why such a renovation is necessary, which include lack of reliable Internet, the need to repair the outside stairs and sidewalks, and reports that the structural integrity of the building, constructed in 1918, is failing.

District Four Supervisor J. Patrick Lee told the Item the board will carefully consider the court order.

“We will consult with an attorney on the court order, and give it careful consideration in order to make sure we make good decisions and do right by the court order,” Lee said.

At the meeting, the board motioned to acknowledge the grand jury report, which presented many of the courthouse issues outlined in the court order, motioned to approve a circuit court order for appointment and compensation for a court reporter, and motioned to acknowledge the circuit court order that addressed the courthouse facilities.

Also at the meeting, Lee proposed the board create a $50,000 budget in 2016 for the local fire departments. The funds will allow the departments to purchase new radios and upgrade their communication system. The board approved the budget.

Also, County Engineer Les Dungan presented to the board a status report on Pearl River County road projects.

“It shows where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we are going,” Dungan said about the report, which highlights the road projects completed from 2012-2014, the projects currently under construction, and the projects still in the design phase.

Current projects include the bridge replacement project on Barth Road in Poplarville. Dungan said the E.T. Poole Road bridge replacement project is set to begin in the near future, and he’s meeting with AT&T concerning utility construction on Richardson-Ozona Road.

Dungan proposed reprogramming the STP bridge replacement project at Springhill Road from STP to a bridge replacement program in order to increase the amount of funds given to the county. The board approved the motion to reprogram the project, and a motion to include three new road projects, which will be funded using state allocated funding along with the extra funds received after the reprogramming.

Also at the meeting, the board:

-Approved a $5,000 budget to the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation’s 2015 funds.

-Approved a motion for personnel changes in the sheriff’s department.

The next board meeting will be on Monday, February 2^nd.