As light snow flurries began falling Monday, things heated up inside the Lauderdale County Raymond P. Davis Courthouse Annex at the first meeting of 2010 for the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors.
Supervisors voted to take away supervisor-issued credit cards; District 4 Supervisor Joe Norwood is the only remaining supervisor to carry and use a county credit card.
Tempers flared as District 5 Supervisor Ray Boswell, who introduced the motion, indicated Norwood had used the card for "not county-related" expenses.
After the meeting, Boswell said, "If he's using county money for personal uses, it ain't right."
Norwood disagreed with the motion, saying, "The reason I use the credit card is public record so it's no secret what I'm spending the money on, unlike other members of this board."
Norwood said other supervisors use per diem reimbursements as a way to hide how they spend their money. Using a credit card makes it easy for taxpayers to see what the money is spent on, Norwood said.
"Boy, if ya'll knew how backwoods ya'll sound up here right now in 2010 about a $2,500 credit limit, credit card to operate a $50 million operation and you guys are up here crying over it," Norwood said. "You'll spend that much in grass seed out there planting your oat fields."
Boswell questioned Norwood's use of the card. Receipts from the Chancery Clerk's office show that Norwood used the county credit card in May of 2009 for $69.49 at Deville Camera & Video in Jackson, and in June at the Horseshoe Casino & Hotel in Robinsonville for $110.
Norwood also spent $122.17 at the Silver Star Hotel in Choctaw on Sept. 30, and on Dec. 12 used the card to purchase $26.86 of gasoline in Shorter, Ala. According to a memorandum from County Administrator Mike Sumrall to Norwood dated Dec. 28, there was no approved trip to that area on that date. The memo asked Norwood to reimburse the county $26.86 for the gas purchase.
"[The credit card] is very beneficial for things like airfare and hotels," Sumrall said. "But we can use private credit cards and pay them back... [Travel vouchers] are really the correct procedure."
New President:
The Board of Supervisors elected a new president, District 2 Supervisor Wayman Newell, Monday but postponed the vice presidential election. District 3 Supervisor Craig Hitt, who some have said will be the new vice president, was not at Monday's meeting.
Local News
Supes kill use of credit card
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City passes FY2011 budget
The city of Meridian has managed to pass its FY2011 budget without raising property taxes and without much delay, but that doesn't mean it's going to be smooth sailing for the rest of the fiscal year, according to Finance and Records Director Ed Skipper.
"There are so many variables right now," said Skipper. "You always have the variables, and you don't know if what you're projecting is actually going to be." -
Arrest imminent in shooting
Authorities with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday afternoon they will likely arrest today the person of interest in Monday's shooting incident in Lauderdale.
LCSD Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said until that arrest is made authorities will withhold the name of the suspect, said to be a 74-year old woman. -
Public Hearing
Any time there's a tax increase, the public is going to protest it, and that's exactly what happened at a public hearing on Lauderdale County's proposed budget Tuesday evening.
The county plans to raise the property tax rate for FY2011 by 1.87 mills county-wide, and 3.95 mills inside the city limits. The proposed increase follows a millage decrease of 2.41 mills county-wide and 3.78 mills inside the city during FY2010. -
La. and Miss. authorities looking for SUV
Louisiana and Mississippi law enforcement authorities are seeking information regarding a blue SUV from Lauderdale County that has been reported in the area of a trailer in Lake Charles, La., where four bodies were found Monday.
Law enforcement authorities are looking for a dark blue 2000 Ford Explorer XLT registered in Lauderdale County, with tag LCE 755. -
Sanitation stalemate continues
Local politicians are soon going to have to do something that they often find excruciatingly difficult — find a way to agree.
If they don't come to some kind of agreement on the city's garbage pick-up contract, October will be a very stinky month in Meridian.
At Tuesday's city council meeting, the majority of the council engaged the mayor and the minority of the council in a game of garbage pick-up chicken. -
Earnest Workers’ Circle contributes to TEAAM
Dr. Mark Yeager was the speaker for the May meeting of the Earnest Workers' Circle of Kings Daughters and Sons, International. He is the Director of TEAAM (Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi), which is the state-based autism organization.
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Meridian to celebrate Jimmie Rodgers birthday
In celebration of The Father of Country Music’s birthday today, locals and visitors are invited to tour the Jimmie Rodgers Museum and Sparkle & Twang: Marty Stuart’s American Musical Odyssey free of charge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Holiday on The Links
Jake Sterling hits a shot from the 8th fairway as Ed Brown and John Rea watch during the championship rounds of the 2010 Labor Day Invitational at Northwood Country Club Monday.
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MPD looking for domestic violence suspect
Detectives with the Meridian Police Department Criminal Investigation Division are seek information on the possible whereabouts of Sedrick Bohannon.
Bohannon is a 24-year-old black male, standing about 5'07" and weighs about 150 pounds. He currently has a mini dread hairstyle. -
Evening shooting leaves one dead
A shooting at about 5:15 p.m. Monday left one person dead and another seriously injured.
The deceased woman's name is Lee Ann Temple, age 30.
The suspect, a 74-year old woman, is in custody. - More Local News Headlines
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City passes FY2011 budget
