County Circuit Clerk discusses election at Board of Supervisors meeting

Published 7:00 am Friday, March 23, 2018

Discussion of the Pearl River County Circuit Clerk’s office managing the upcoming bond election for the Pearl River County School District was discussed at Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

Circuit Clerk Nance Stokes asked the Board to approve a resolution between the county and the Pearl River Central School District to hold a second bond election in as many years. This year’s election is set for May 8.

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Stokes said she discussed the matter with Superintendent Alan Lumpkin, after which she agreed to hold the election in a central location instead of 12 within the School District. The election will be held at the safe house behind the high school, she said.

Election commissioners have decided to use paper ballots this year as opposed to using the electronic voting machines, Stokes said.

A recent voter registration drive conducted countywide at all three high schools added approximately 75 new voters to the rolls, Stokes said.

The drive takes place twice a year in the spring and fall, Stokes said.

Stokes also informed the Board that new voter registration cards were sent to about 16,000 voters in Pearl River County to inform nearly half of the county’s voters that some precinct locations had to be consolidated to reduce election costs and make election more efficient. The consolidation also allowed the county to comply with ADA regulations.

In other matters, Kevin Lewis, principal architect with Landry Lewis Germany Architects in Hattiesburg, presented the Board with a floor plan for the construction of the addition to the Pearl River County courthouse.

County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin said the Board asked the firm to submit courthouse floor plans by the end of May so bids can be advertised by July 1.

In a separate matter, County engineer Les Dungan said drainage issues across the county are being reviewed.

Dungan said drainage concerns at North Hill subdivision, the intersection of Old Highway 11 and Highway 11 and on John Amacker Road are first on the list.

The intent is to use the information gathered to make a recommendation to the Board regarding concerns in each area, Dungan said.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for April 2 at 9 a.m. in the courthouse on Julia Street in Poplarville.