Lauderdale County supervisors will be keeping a close eye on the budget as they consider expensive projects at two county facilities.

 

In a work session Thursday, Sheriff Ward Calhoun said he will ask the Board of Supervisors to approve advertising for bids to replace the CCTV camera system in the Lauderdale County Detention Center, a project that has been months in the making.

 

Funding for the project was initially allocated in the previous fiscal year 2024 budget, he said, but the county ran into difficulty getting two quotes on the work.

 

While LCSD has since obtained two quotes, the cost of the project exceeds the $75,000 limit state purchasing laws put on work allowable with two quotes. Instead, Calhoun said, the county will have to put the project out for bid.

 

“The decision was that we need to come back out and do a bid for it,” he said.

 

The current system, while operational, is beginning to fail, Calhoun said, and cannot be upgraded to meet the department’s needs. Also complicating the situation are recent tariffs implemented on foreign goods, he said, which could also impact the cost and availability of systems the county has to consider.

 

“There’s no telling what’s going to happen,” he said.

 

Supervisors are also looking at costly repairs to the sewer system at the old Mount Barton School, part of which is used by Multi-County Community Service Agency as a shelter for the homeless.

 

County Administrator Chris Lafferty said video inspection of the sewer showed the old clay sewer pipes, which are approaching a century old, have failed in some areas and actually run uphill in others. Adding to the problem is that the sewer system put in place was not designed for the use it sees today, he said, putting additional strain on the system.

 

An exact scope of work to resolve the sewer issues is still being developed, Lafferty said, but the project is expected to be expensive.

 

“I think they’re kind of exploring a lot of different stuff, but right now we just don’t know other than it’s going to be a very costly repair,” he said.

 

In other business, the Board of Supervisors is weighing a request from the Town of Marion to assist with clearing adjoining land southwest of Town Hall. The town recently bought the land as part of its plan to build a new Town Hall in the future.

 

Road Manager Rush Mayatt said he had received a request to help clear the land, including demolition of three dilapidated houses currently on the property.

 

Supervisor Josh Todd said the board will need more information before it’s able to make an informed decision on the request. Supervisors will need to know estimated costs for demolishing the homes and clearing the land, disposal costs and a better understanding of what Marion is willing to pay for and what costs the county is being asked to absorb for its help.

 

Supervisor Kyle Rutledge said disposal costs can be a big hit, and the county in the past has agreed to demolish structures for other entities if they pay for disposal.

 

Mayatt said he will work up some cost estimates and get more information from Marion before coming back to the board for further discussion.