Three Jones County supervisors attended their last official scheduled public meeting yesterday at the Laurel Courthouse.
Beat 2 Supervisor Danny Roy Spradley, Beat 3 Supervisor Barry Saul and Beat 5 Supervisor Jerome Wyatt are stepping away from the board – two due to retirement and one because of a loss at the polls. Spradley and Wyatt retired from their positions, while Saul was defeated by Phil Dickerson in August.
Spradley and Wyatt tendered their resignations at the meeting Monday, while Saul will officially step aside on January 6. Larry Dykes (Beat 2) and Travares Comegys (Beat 5) were appointed on an interim basis effective December 31, the effective date of Spradley's and Wyatt’s retirement.
Jones County Tax Assessor-Collector Ramona Blackledge also submitted her resignation, and Tina Byrd was appointed to the position on an interim basis, also effective December 31. Blackledge will be heading to Jackson to represent District 88 in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
The outgoing supervisors were presented with a plaque for their service, and a reception was held in their honor. All three men expressed gratitude that they had been able to serve the county. Saul has served as supervisor for 16 years; Spradley has worked for the county in some capacity for 38 years; and Wyatt first started employment with Jones County in 1984.
Other action taken by the supervisors Monday included:
*Passed a motion to add Hawkes Road, Technology Blvd., Howard Dr. and Edison Way (the last three are in Howard Tech Park) to the county-wide registry so that the maintenance expenses of those roads will not be committed to a single beat. Those roads were built specifically for industrial purposes, which benefits the entire county.
*Acknowledged correspondence from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History that the Mississippi National Register Review Board approved the Oak Park School Complex to the National Register of Historic Places on November 21. The nomination has now been sent to the National Register office in Washington, D.C.
*The Board approved unanimously the request of three retiring Sheriff Office employees to buy their duty weapons at a cost of $10 each. This is something the supervisors have approved several times over the past 16 years, said Saul.
*Tabled a request to make Kennon Road a public road. Kennon Road connects to Charlie Green Road in Beat 3. There was only one signature on the request.
“Typically we get more than one signature,” noted County Administrator Danielle Ashley to the supervisors before they made their decision.
*Approved a change in personnel that involved Chancery Court deputy clerk Brittany Welch moving to an administrative position with the county. Chancery Court Clerk Bart Gavin told the supervisors that Kelly Easterling will be replacing Welch.
*The board members discussed and approved new fees for the use of community centers in Beat 1, per the request of Beat 1 Supervisor Johnny Burnett. The new fees require a $35 cash deposit to use a community center and a $50 cash deposit for the use of a lunch room; both fees are non-refundable. The fees will be allocated to the general fund. The county maintains 38 community centers.
Burnett said his beat has experienced many cancellations of reservations, which has cost the county money.