Lauderdale County residents in the Meehan-Savoy community could qualify for fire insurance reductions on their homeowners policies, now that the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors has approved a bid for construction of a new fire station.

    The supervisors approved a $111,375 bid from GLA Construction LLC of Columbus/Sulligent, Ala., to build a new fire station for the Meehan-Savoy area. Board President Kyle Rutledge said the bid approval should be welcomed news for the area’s homeowners.

    “There are around 300 households in this area, which includes areas of District 5 and 4, and hopefully this can get their fire rating to a nine, especially when you combine this new building with the other fire stations along old Highway 80,” Rutledge said. “Right now, these households don’t have any reduction in their home insurance because they are classified as a 10.”

    Rutledge said he would check with Lauderdale County Fire Service Coordinator Allan Dover, but with a 9 rating, a home owner could qualify for a 25 percent reduction on home insurance. An 8 rating would increase the reduction to 50 percent.

    GLA Construction outbid eight other construction companies during a bid process conducted during the supervisors’ Thursday work session. Four Meridian companies and one from Collinsville submitted bids. Two of the Meridian companies’ bids were in the $119,000 range. The second lowest was from Larry J. Sumrall of Laurel at $118,700.

    “This will be the first station built in District 5 since 1991,” Rutledge said. “It’s good that we can make that happen.”

    An additive bid of $111,375 for a second building in east Toomsuba was tabled for two weeks after a motion from District 2 Supervisor Wayman Newell.

    In other county business:

    • Approved a travel request by Gloria Dancy to attend ECAM Workshop in Hattiesburg.

    • Approved a travel request by Jesse Barnett to attend County Service Officer School in Columbus.

    • Approved a travel request by Judge Frank Coleman to attend the Mississippi State Bar and Trial Judge’s Conference in Sandestin, Fla.

    • Approved an $11,000 donation to the State Games of Mississippi.

    • Approved inventory deletions as submitted from a list by Inventory Clerk Kim Poe.

    • Approved to advertise bids for the Highland Park Splash Pad project and the Mt. Barton improvements project to be paid for with bond funds.

    • Approved travel for Sheriff Department employees David Rosenbaum, Karey Williams, Kris Cokel, Ruston Russell and Jeffery Foreman. Rosenbaum will attend a S.T.O.R.M Spring Conference in Oxford, May 5-7. Williams will attend ALS Less Lethal Munitions Instructor (mace) re-certification in Perry, Fla., June 22-25. Cokel and Russell will go to the Remington Field Armorer School in Stapleton, Ala., July 6-9. Foreman will attend the EPA Certification testing at Southern Pipe and Supply this month.

    • Approved an oath of office to Stacy Allen, deputy tax collector; and William Covington, detention officer.

    • Approved a clarification in the resolution to approve an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between the county and the town of Marion for an investigative officer.