Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors approved the hiring of a new road manager at Monday morning’s regular session.

Supervisors hired Rush Mayatt as road manager at a salary of $70,000 a year. Mayatt, 29, who did not attend the meeting, has been a facilities engineer at CertainTeed Ceilings for almost four years. He received his degree in civil engineering in 2012 from Mississippi State University.

“I’m tickled to death with the opportunity to represent Lauderdale County as road manager. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I’m excited about it,” Mayatt said by telephone. “I’m ready to get out there and represent Lauderdale County as road manager.”

Mayatt is expected to begin his new position in early April.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity and excited to see what the future holds in the new job,” Mayatt said.

Mayatt succeeds interim road manager Greg Collins, who took the position in December after Greer Goldman resigned.

“I welcome Mr. Rush Mayatt on board and I’m excited to see what he can bring to the table,” District 2 Supervisor Wayman Newell said.

District 3 Supervisor and Board President Josh Todd said Mayatt was approved over other quality applicants.

“I welcome Mr. Mayatt to the family,” Todd said. “It was a hard decision because we had four or five quality candidates. We look forward to his coming on board. He’ll start implementing some software to track work orders and be more efficient in the work we do throughout the county.”  

In other matters, the board approved a number of requests by Administrator Chris Lafferty. They included:

• Transferring $7,000 from the General Fund to the D.A.R.E. Fund. D.A.R.E. is a program to educate students to keep away from drugs, alcohol and violence.

• Transferring $41,785 from the Road Fund to the Bond Fund.

• A pay request by MS. J&M Inc. of Toomsuba in the amount of $19,500 for the emergency repair of a bridge on Kewanee Road.

• Hiring Kenneth Smith and Gregory Collins Jr. as permanent trash pickers at $9.64 an hour.

• Hired Elizabeth Hodges as part-time clerical assistant at $12 per hour.

• Attending various training workshops for personnel around the region.

• Accepted a bid of $3,200 per year for three years for cutting hay and control of pecans at Malone Ranch Industrial Park.

• Supervisors also approved various requests from Sheriff Billy Sollie for his personnel to attend training workshops.

• Deputy Tax Assessor Whitney Hodges reminded supervisors the final deadline for citizens to file for Homestead Exemption is Saturday, April 1. The office will be open from 8 a.m. until noon.