Potential changes in four polling districts were discussed Thursday during a Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors work session.

Representatives from the election commission informed supervisors of a proposal to relocate District 4 polling place from First Baptist Church, Meridian, to Prince of Peace Christian Fellowship Church located on 7th Street.

Other proposed relocations are:

• Moving from the Multi County Community Agency to the old Mt. Barton school in Meridian.

• Moving from the Russell Community Center to Russell Baptist Church.

• Moving from Collinsville Volunteer Fire Department to Collinsville Baptist Church.

A public hearing on the relocations is scheduled May 6.

Bids for office relocations

Supervisors heard bids for the relocation of the Lauderdale County Tax Collector’s office from the county courthouse to the former Hooper Electronics building and relocation of the 4-H extension office to the Lauderdale County Agri-Center.

The moves are planned to remove workers from the county courthouse, which is in need of repair.

Bids were taken under advisement.

Insurance proposal

An insurance proposal was presented to supervisors by Keith Davidson with Volunteer Fire Insurance Services to cover liabilities on each volunteer fire department in the county.

Davidson said the insurance would cover full cost replacement on buildings and vehicles, as well as coverage for fire fighters who are in the line of duty.

“We currently cover 37 county fire departments in the state,” Davidson said.

He gave a cost of $87,300 for the annual premium to cover all volunteer departments in the county. Supervisors took the proposal under advisement and asked County Administrator Chris Lafferty to compare their present coverage to the proposal.

In other business

• Lafferty reported to supervisors that the recent unclaimed property event netted some Lauderdale County citizens more than $100,000 and the turnout was good. He also informed supervisors of the upcoming spring meeting of the Mississippi Association of County Administrators.

• Supervisors heard a request from Lafferty for an upcoming 4-H roping and riding clinic in which the group has asked that a building be free to them at the Lauderdale County Agri-Center for the two-day clinic.

• Supervisors heard a request from county Road Manager Rush Mayatt for approval on a right-of-way easement at 9025 Barrett Road due to drainage issues.

• Supervisors heard from Tax Assessor James Rainey who presented a spread sheet with changes on some tax assessments. Rainey also asked the board to consider an employee in his office to attend appraisal school. He informed the board that the county mapper is leaving her position to relocate to another state and he would like to contract out the position.

• Sheriff Billy Sollie informed supervisors of some new deputies who need to attend SWAT training and of a conference coming up between a joint effort of the sheriff’s office and Wesley House Community Center. Sollie told supervisors the conference was paid for other than per diems for employees attending.

• Dede Mogollan, director of the Meridian Lauderdale County Tourism department, gave supervisors an update on tourism in the county. She informed them that with recent state legislation, Mississippi’s advertising budget increased on a national scale from $3 million to $13 million. She said the increase will help shine a limelight on local events such as the Jimmie Rogers Festival. She also informed them of the upcoming National Tourism Association meeting to be hosted in Meridian this year bringing tax dollars to the local ecomomy, as well as two USA track events being held in Meridian in the summer.

• District 1 Supervisor and board president Jonathan Wells discussed naming the board of supervisors board room after Hank Florey, former supervisor of District 1.

• District 5 Supervisor Kyle Rutledge informed supervisors about the recycling event coming up Saturday at the Lauderdale County Agri-Center and encouraged citizens to participate. The event is held the third Saturday of each month to dispose of recyclable items.

• Supervisors discussed the usage of Mt. Barton school as a rental facility and how to go about designating the rules of the kitchen facility to renters. District 4 Supervisor Joe Norwood told his colleagues that the refrigerators in the facility are used to store food donated to the Multi County Community Agency and that unless otherwise informed, renters need to provide their own coolers. The subject of alcohol being served at events was also discussed with the need to establish a protocol being in place.

Lauderdale County Supervisors will hold their regular monthly meeting at 9 a.m. Monday on the first floor of the Courthouse Annex.