The TransAmerican Waste Central Landfill may expand the geographic region in which it collects waste to include more locations outside of Pearl River County.

The Board of Supervisors accepted a request from TransAmerican Waste Central Landfill to amend the solid waste management plan with the county. The company wants to begin collecting waste from another geographic area outside of the county.

Accepting the request simply begins the process to amend the plan, said County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin, and the full process to make changes to the plan will take six to eight months and include public hearings.

The current solid waste management plan is over 20-years-old and needs to be updated, said District Manager Sam Williams.

TransAmerican currently collects waste from inside the county and areas outside of the county, said Williams. The company wants to increase the geographic region where it collects waste to increase revenue, Williams said.

Board President Sandy Kane Smith said he has been told by employees of the company that the landfill will go out of business and close if the collection area is not expanded. Williams told Smith that is a possible outcome if action is not taken, but that is not the waste management company’s intent.

In a separate matter, the Board approved the purchase of five new vehicles for the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department, and the order of two more vehicles. The Board budgeted funds for the department to purchase new vehicles in the current fiscal year, said Sheriff David Allison, and the department was hoping to purchase eight vehicles with the money set aside.

Instead, the department will purchase seven vehicles with the funds, Allison said. The department will purchase four 2020 Dodge Durango Pursuits for K9 units at $37,066 a piece, for a total of $148,264 from Mac Haik Automotive Group. The department will also purchase one regular Dodge Durango Pursuit for $35,066 and place an order for two more, also from Mac Haik Automotive Group.

In other business the Board:

—Authorized an execution of engagement letter with Phelps Dunbar to work on the county’s employee handbook.

—Approved travel for the coroner and medical examiner investigators to attend the Mississippi Coroner Medical Examiner Annual Winter Conference in Flowood, Miss., Jan 8-10.

—Approved travel for county officials and employees to the MAS mid-winter legislative conference in Jackson, Miss., Jan 7-9.