Just as the Attala County Board of Supervisors were set to adjourn its meeting Tuesday morning, Beat 4 Supervisor Kary Ellington brought up the issue of litter on Attala County roadways, leading to a brief discussion of Attala County having its own jail again.
Ellington initially mentioned a Mississippi Department of Transporation program through which he thought the county could hire two employees at an hourly rate to pick up trash on state highways, with the county chipping in for benefits.
Ellington said the board would need additional information on the program before proceeding.
Sheriff Tim Nail took the opportunity to speak up on behalf of Attala County having its own jail, suggesting that doing so would help address the trash problem along many county roads.
Nail said that four to six inmates were cleaning the roadways five days a week when they were housed in Attala County.
Beat 2 Supervisor Charles Fancher interjected and advised Nail that the county could not afford the $35,000 or so a month it would cost to run a local jail compared to the $13,000 per month now being spent to house them in Leake County.
Nail said that roadside trash was not the only concern that could be addressed with a local jail. He said that he is concerned with officer safety and overcrowded transports on large court docket days as well.
The board, however, indicated it was overwhelmingly against reconsidering a local jail.
In other business, county engineer Christian Gardner discussed a non-critical bridge replacement in Beat 3. The bridge will not be replaced until it is inspected by a state-hired special inspector. Gardner stated that he is waiting on the inspection and had no further information pertaining to when the inspection will take place.
The board approved the sale of the former Interstate Industries/Fargo Manufacturing building to the former tenants. The building was sold for $100 after a 1980 agreement with the board. Stipulations were met by the former tenants for the sale and the building will now be back on the county tax roll.
