Lauderdale County supervisors are moving forward with plans to spend part of the county’s $14.3 million portion of the American Rescue Plan Act to further economic development and build a central headquarters for the road department.

In a meeting Monday, the Board of Supervisors allocated $3 million for the construction of the road department headquarters and another $3 million for a water and sewer project along Jimmy Rodgers Parkway.

County Administrator Chris Lafferty said the water and sewer project is intended to help promote economic development along the parkway. The board’s action, he said, based the $3 million investment on several conditions.

The conditions approved by the board include the total investment by the county not exceeding $3 million, that Lauderdale County’s funds would be a dollar for dollar match, and that the City of Meridian, EMBDC, or business community or adjoining property owners pay engineering fees, costs to advertise and other expenses before the bid is awarded.

A condition that the City of Meridian pay 50% of E911 funding shortfalls was removed by the board in a 3-2 vote prior to approving the project. Supervisors Kyle Rutledge and Wayman Newell voted against removing the condition.

While the Board of Supervisors limited the county’s investment to $3 million, Lafferty said it may appear as if the county surpasses that as the project gets underway. The county plans to use its money to get a dollar for dollar matching grant through Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, he said, but the state funds are expected to be given as reimbursements.

“Even though the investment will not exceed $3 million as what is here, the Board of Supervisors will pay all the expense up front and then submit invoices to the state for reimbursement through MDEQ,” he said. “So you’re going to be out more than $3 million probably at times.”

Other business

In other business, the Board of Supervisors went back to the drawing board on a project to correct drainage issues at the Lauderdale County Detention Center. The county had received three bids on the project, but the lowest bidder had an expired certificate of authenticity, which is required by law.

“It would actually be unlawful for you to accept it,” Board Attorney Lee Thaggard said.

In a work session Thursday, Lafferty explained the bidder had submitted the proper paperwork to renew their certificate of authenticity, but the paperwork had not been completed by the state. The holdup, he said, made it impossible for the county to accept the bid.

After discussion, the board voted 3-2 to reject the current bids and advertise the project again as the second lowest bid was more than $90,000 higher. Supervisors Josh Todd and Kyle Rutledge voted against rejecting the bids.

Todd said he felt rejecting all three bids was unfair to the bidders who did have the proper paperwork.