Because of business calls after last year’s contract extension, the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors proposed advertising for bids for janitorial and pest control services.

“I’m sure you all got the calls (from other cleaning companies) after last year about not giving them a chance,” Joe Norwood, the supervisor for District 4, said. “I think we should put the cleaning services out for bid.”

With both contracts expiring, supervisors had the option to either extend the current contracts with Boyette’s Critter Getters, Inc. and Bill Brackeen Cleaning Service for one year or open the contracts up for bidding.

“From what I see, I’m satisfied,” Jonathan Wells, the board president and District 1 supervisor, said. “But I agree. I think we should put it out there.”

Last year, supervisors threw out bids after a costly reverse auction process and extended the contracts with both Boyette’s and Bill Brackeen.

Though supervisors added Mt. Barton to the list of facilities to be maintained, Norwood said people living at the Frances W. Davidson Memorial Homeless Shelter, operated by Multi County Community Service Agency could do the work.

“Some of the people out there were given some pocket change for doing those sorts of things,” Norwood said. “(Ron) Collier (the executive director of Multi-County) said he would maintain that facility over there for a fee.”

Norwood said he wanted the rental facility to have its floors buffed and cleaned, something Norwood said Collier and the Davidson residents could do.

“We have to get that regularly maintained — not just someone to take out the trash,” Norwood said.

Chris Lafferty, the county administrator, agreed with the proposal.

“What Joe’s proposing is a good idea because it keeps those people down there with a purpose and it saves us some money,” Lafferty said.

Supervisors will also appointment two people to the Rail Authority Commission. James Rainey, the county’s tax assessor, said he would be open to accepting the appointment if Lee Thaggard, the board attorney, determined it posed no conflicts.

Thaggard didn’t attend Thursday’s meeting because of a conflict in Jackson, supervisors said.

Rocky Rockette, the director of Lauderdale County Animal Control, requested a new truck for his office with an 8-foot bed suitable for the dog box.

“In talking with Rocky, we can wait and budget it next year or he can do what he did last year and use humane funds but he’ll be $4-to-$5 thousand short,” Lafferty said, noting that humane funds could be used for truck purchases. “The desire to get one now is the availability of trucks… he’s found a dealer that’s got one on state contract.”

Supervisors will also purchase battery backups for $15,881.29 from EATON to protect new equipment for the IT department from power surges.

“You guys have followed your emails so you know we’ve had power surges and things like that,” Lafferty said.

The quote of battery backups from TRIPP-LITE came in at $21,357.36.

Despite Thaggard’s absence, supervisors elected to have an executive session to discuss economic development for approximately one hour with Bill Hannah, the president of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation.