The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors held two executive sessions during Wednesday’s meeting to discuss legal issues.

During the first executive session. The Board discussed a youth court matter, said Board Attorney Joe Montgomery.

Upon returning to open session, the Board voted to accept grant funds from the Casey Family Foundation, which would help the county pay for legal services required in youth court, Montgomery said.

The second executive session, held at the end of the meeting, was held to discuss a lawsuit filed against the county concerning a lein on personal property taxes, Montgomery said.

In open session, the Board discussed routine personnel changes in several departments and approved a contract with a private security service with the Sheriff’s Department.

Chief Deputy Shane Tucker requested permission from the Board to sign a contract with American Security Service to provide security, unarmed or armed, when inmates are sent to the hospital for treatment, he said.

Tucker said the department typically has to pay officer’s overtime to provide security at the hospital, but the services provided by the company would come at a significantly lower cost and lower burden to the department.

Tucker said offers from other companies were not competitive and would cost the same as paying officers overtime.

He estimated the service would cost less that $15,000 per year and would be paid on an hourly basis.

The Board also authorized the Sheriff’s Department to purchase three 2008 Crown Victoria’s from the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Department for $6,600 for additional patrol vehicles.

Tucker said the vehicles had an average of 100,000 miles on them and could “easily get another 25,000 or so out of them.”

Les Dungan addressed the Board concerning bids for the installation of a wastewater disposal system at the Walkiah Bluff water park campgrounds.

The bid was awarded to the lowest bidder, Myers Underground Utilities, out of Hattiesburg, for $54,300.

The contract provides for all 12 sites to be connected to a septic tank for underground wastewater treatment.

Dungan said the project will be completed this year.

The George Ford Road bridge has been reopened to traffic for two weeks, Dungan said, with a final layer of asphalt to be poured on Wednesday.

He said he was also meeting with the contractor for the Poplarville Main Street storm drain repair on Wednesday, expecting that project to begin late next week and be complete within five to 15 days.

The new county phone system will be installed soon, County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin said.

The Board approved a system change order to provide more extension at the Mississippi State University Extension Center and upgrade some of the current technology.

The Board also approved a 2.02 percent financing rate from Bancorp South to finance the new phone system, upon Lumpkin’s recommendation.

In other news, the Board:

• Approved monthly reports for the Building Division & E-911 Addressing, Building Inspections, Animal Control, Justice Court and the County Administrator.
• Approved 2017 payroll dates and Board meeting dates.
• Signed a memorandum of understanding with Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District services.
• Declared Nov. 11, Veterans’ Day, a county holiday.
• Amended the 2016 budget.
• Issued checks for the FEMA buyout program.
• Approved a letter from Montgomery stating E.J. Landry Road was public and will continue to be maintained by the county.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 7 at 9 a.m.