Lauderdale County supervisors are weighing their options after discussing the need for beaver trapping, repairs to the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi and purchasing a new vehicle for Coroner Stella McMahan.

County Administrator Chris Lafferty said he received notice of a beaver control program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture that may be beneficial to Lauderdale County. Under the program, he said, the county will pay $7,500 in exchange for a professional trapper to come catch and remove beavers causing damage to county roads.

Beavers are a constant source of headache for the county as their dams divert the flow of water leading to flooding and damage to county roads.

Road Manager Rush Mayatt said the county needs all the help it can get controlling the beaver population and encouraged supervisors to participate in the federal program.

“We desperately need to do it,” he said.

Supervisor Josh Todd said his main concern is knowing what the lead time will be between the county requesting trapping assistance and the trapper arriving. Beaver problems typically need to be addressed within a few days or weeks, he said, and having to wait a long time wouldn’t be helpful.

The Board of Supervisors has until September to opt into the program, Lafferty said, so there is some time to think on the issue. In the meantime, he said he will work on getting more information about lead times for supervisors to review.

Boys and Girls Club

Also needing input from supervisors are requested repairs at the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi, Lafferty said. The county earlier this year replaced the air conditioning system at the Boys and Girls Club through an emergency purchase, but additional repairs are needed.

A full list is under development, but current repairs, which include pressure washing, painting, caulking around windows and other items, stands at $11,545, Lafferty said. The club is also requesting work on an inside roof at a cost of around $700.

Lauderdale County and the city of Meridian have a standing agreement to split the costs of work associated with the Boys and Girls Club, with each entity paying 50%. In the past, however, the city has declined to pay its portion because it claims the county did not provide advance notice of the work.

Lafferty said he is trying to set up a meeting with Meridian Mayor Jimmie Smith to discuss the repairs but needed board input on whether to move forward with the work now or wait until the city is on board.

Supervisor Joe Norwood Sr. said he supports making the repairs immediately and approaching the city about reimbursement. Although the city may not pay, he said the $11,545 is a pittance compared to some of the county’s other expenses.

“Just get it fixed and bill it to them. We’re worried about $11,000, but we weren’t worried about $100,000 in this building on screws and nuts and bolts that were screwed up before they got installed. That’s my view,” he said. “I just don’t want us to continue to disrespect children in this neighborhood.”

Supervisor Craig Houston said he also supports moving forward with the repairs now as school is about to start back up, and the Boys and Girls Club will be busy with local students.

Coroner’s vehicle

Supervisors also heard from Coroner Stella McMahan about the need for a new vehicle after Lafferty said there has been some confusion about what the vehicle will be used to do. McMahan had previously come before the board to request a Chevy Tahoe, as well as office space and a location for the morgue. The county received some quotes for a morgue but made no further progress.

Lafferty on Thursday said there had been some hesitation from county officials about purchasing a $70,000 vehicle to transport bodies and suggested a transit van, which costs $40,000 to $50,000, would be more appropriate.

McMahan said she is willing to transport bodies if that is what the board needs her to do, but that isn’t something she is keen on doing. Bringing bodies to the morgue would require some additional help, she said, and create logistical challenges of its own.

Each county does things differently, with some coroners responsible for transporting bodies and some not, McMahan said.

“If I have to, then I can lay the seat down, we’ll do that and go in the back of the Tahoe,” she said. “But the number of times I need transport, it’s not like everyday.”

Not every body needs to be transported to the morgue, McMahan explained, and many bodies are handled by the hospitals and funeral homes. Those needing to come to the morgue include bodies being sent to the state medical examiner for autopsy and bodies where next of kin has not be identified. Out of the roughly 80 people who died in Lauderdale County in July, only four went to the morgue, she said.

Currently, bodies are transported to the morgue by local funeral homes, McMahan said, which costs $400 per trip.

Todd asked McMahan to email the board a request with the vehicle she wants, and supervisors will get to work to make it happen.