The Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors on Thursday heard updates on the new courthouse complex and ongoing bridge projects throughout the county.

LPK Architects’ Jim Smith said work is moving along swiftly at the new government building off of 22nd Avenue, which will be the future home of the district attorney, board of supervisors, judges and other county officials.

Brickwork is ongoing along the east face of the building, and stucco is going up on the south face, Smith said. Contractors have also begun to put up sheet rock on the first and second floors, and concrete work is planned to cap off elevator shafts and jail cells.

“I think one elevator they still have to get the top on,” he said.

Smith said LPK had also begun working with an engineer to design the boulevard that will connect the government building and new sheriff’s department with 22nd Avenue. Preliminary designs should be available by the end of next week, he said.

In summary, Smith said, work on the new government building was moving along well.

“It’s on schedule and still within the budget,” he said.

Sheriff’s Department

Smith said work on the new Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office is nearing completion with deputies planning to move in over the weekend. Some small punch-list items are still outstanding including several locks that have not yet been delivered.

“This building right here is basically complete,” he said. “We’re lacking a few things with access control that we think we’re going to get through with maybe through the weekend, but by Monday morning the sheriff and all should be ready to go.”

Over the next few weeks, Smith said, contractors will work to put the finishing touches on the new building before an open house dates is held for the public.

Supervisor Wayman Newell said Smith had taken him on a tour of the building, and he was very impressed by what he saw.

“I met Jim down there Tuesday,” he said. “It looked really good, very impressive.”

Supervisor Josh Todd said he too was happy with the way the building turned out.

“Man, that looks good,” he said.

Sheriff Billy Sollie said his department was still on track to move in over the weekend and open shop in their new space on Monday. The sheriff’s department, he said, was very pleased with its new headquarters and looked forward to inviting the public in to see it.

“This is going to be tremendous for our customers to have a clean, well lit place to come into,” he said.

ARPA Funds

Other county projects are also moving along, with Engineering Plus’ Richmond Alexander on Thursday updating the Board of Supervisors on work being done throughout the county.

The county, he said, was preparing to submit its application for dollar-for-dollar matching American Rescue Plan Act funds through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The project selected for the funds would expand water and sewer service along the Jimmy Rodgers Parkway to promote economic development in the county industrial park.

Richmond said the grant application was being finalized and would be submitted either later Thursday or Friday. MDEQ set a deadline of September 30 for applications to be considered.

On Monday the board of supervisors is also set to consider bids for a bridge replacement on Royal Road. Royal Road is a joint project between the county and the City of Meridian using Local System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Project funds, which are allocated to the county from the state.

Other projects moving forward include:

•A joint project with Naval Air Station Meridian for a wildlife fence was scheduled to be bid out Friday;

•A bridge project on Byrd-Doerner Road was scheduled to go out to bid Oct. 12;

•A bridge project on Wildcat Road had one necessary easement still outstanding;

•A bridge project on Zero Road was pending an agreement between the county and the railroad;

•A bridge replacement on Lizelia Road was scheduled to be paved Tuesday; and,

•A project to replace on bridge and eliminate a second on Pine Springs road was under review by the Mississippi Office of State Aid Road Construction.