Lauderdale County supervisors on Monday moved forward with several wishlist purchases as they work to expend any remaining federal funding before the end of the year.

 

The Board of Supervisors has until Dec. 31 to encumber any remaining money from the American Rescue Plan Act, a 2021 federal stimulus spending bill, or see the funding returned to the federal government.

 

In Monday’s meeting, the board voted to approve a bid of $112,610 from Woodall Electric for lighting improvements at the community ball fields on Van Zyverden Road. The project is one of two upgrades the ball fields are set to receive after supervisors approved work on the restrooms at a cost of $62,845 earlier this month.

 

Supervisors also approved two playground equipment packages for Gipson Road in District 3 and Q.V. Sykes in District 4. Of two quotes received on each project, Wonderwoods Inc. was the lowest bidder at $57,920 and $31,450 respectively.

 

County Administrator Chris Lafferty said supervisors will need to revisit the ARPA funding issue at an upcoming work session as there are some decisions to be made. The county has expended all of the money it received from the federal government — about $14 million — and is now looking to spend the interest it collected while holding the funds, he said.

 

“So there’s different rules that we’ll have to go by, well I say different rules, there really isn’t any specific rules that we have to use the interest money for,” he said. “So we’ve got a little more time to work through some of this other stuff.”

 

The board will not hold its regularly scheduled work session on Jan. 2, but supervisors will have an opportunity to discuss how to spend the funding at the following work session, set for Jan. 16.

 

Also on the agenda for Jan. 16 will be further discussion about public access through the back door of the Lauderdale County Government Center. Supervisors have repeatedly broached the topic since occupying the courthouse over a year ago but have yet to make a decision.

 

The rear door, which is located close to handicap parking and provides easy access to the Tax Assessor and Tax Collector offices, is currently considered an employee only entrance.

 

On Monday, a Toomsuba resident urged the board to allow handicapped people to use the rear entrance to save a long walk from the front of the building to the back where the two tax offices are located.

 

Supervisor Craig Houston said the issue continues to be an ongoing problem, and board needs to make a choice.

 

“We’ve been dealing with this issue for months,” he said. “We need to make a decision on it.”