The Pearl River County  Board of Supervisors convened on March 20th, focusing on community issues and granting approvals for various initiatives.

During the meeting, Ruth Preston was recognized for her 17 years of service to Pearl River County. Stacey Riley, CEO of the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence, urged the county to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide a dedicated advocate for domestic violence issues. Riley highlighted the importance of immediate assistance for victims and accountability for offenders. Victims receive advocacy services approximately 60-90 days after incidents occur. The MOU aims to facilitate collaboration between the advocate, courts, and sheriff’s office without financial commitment from the county.

Kodie Koenenn, MDOT’s Government Relations Director, was invited to introduce himself to the board. Supervisor Perry raised concerns about damages on Highway 43 and George Wise Road due to construction detours initiated nearly a year ago.

Clyde Dease from the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation presented an update on the Poplarville Athletics Association, which received a $71,000 grant from the foundation.

A representative from T-Mobile shared information about the T-Mobile K-12 Program, which supports schools and students by providing essential resources such as Wi-Fi, computer labs, virtual reality tools, and laptops.

The Sheriff’s department received approval for the Homeland Security Grant program, which will enable the purchase of forensic evidence equipment and the training of a crime scene unit to enhance law enforcement capabilities in the county.