The Marion County Board of Supervisors wrapped-up its first month of county business on Monday as it concluded the first month of the new fiscal year that runs annually from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.
Lori Watts, president of the Marion County Development Partnership, updated the board on the status of several matters since the September sessions, including an area of timber adjacent to the Ashbury Subdivision located on the south side of the county's sprawling IndustryPlex.
During the spring of 2021, an unnamed property owner and resident of the Ashbury Subdivision reportedly approached the board and expressed concerns about the possibility that some trees situated on the district’s property might fall during a storm and damage his property. The property owner reportedly indicated they were prepared to take legal action against the board if that type of damage happened to occur.
In response to the property owner's concerns, the MCDP Board began to make plans to clear-cut a "buffer strip" measuring approximately 100 to 200 foot wide and notified the Ashbury residents who had property along the property line that was involved. This measure was designed to prevent any damage caused by fallen timber from the district's property onto that of private landowners.
Although there are varied opinions regarding whether or not a property owner's insurance policy will cover damage to another owner's property that results from a tree falling from inside their property line (such as a storm or an "act of God," or if it a tree is deliberately cut down, etc).
After consulting with the Mississippi Forestry Service on the management of the timber located in the involved area, the MCDP Board was advised to wait several months before cutting more timber in that particular stand because of the expense of cutting such a small tract, versus the more cost-effective approach of cutting everything needed at once.
The MFS recommendation noted that harvesting the entire impacted area later could gain more funds for redevelopment because when the district harvests timber on its own property, the proceeds are designated as property development, instead of charged in the budget as a general expense.
The market cost of timber could also be a pivotal factor in the determining the best time to perform the cutting. As a commodity with a fluctuating value, timber is often monitored closely and can gain or lose value for the owner rather quickly.
Watts said the district board is trying to wisely manage the property, but also believes the risk of any legal action because of a fallen tree is minimal. Apparently still concerned, the board took the matter under advisement to review all the factors involved before making a decision.
Among other agenda items addressed by the board, plans were approved to secure training and conference registrations for some of the county offices staff members, including an upcoming conference for Veteran Services Officer Tracey Clark, and for MCSO dispatchers to attend three one-day mandatory certification training sessions in Brookhaven, Kosciusko and Pearl.
Following a recent traffic accident on U.S. 98 involving an MCSO vehicle and an MDOT (Mississippi Department of Transportation) truck, the board approved a request to transfer the insurance settlement amount (that was deposited into the general fund) to the Sheriff's Office account to combine with the balance required to purchase a replacement vehicle for the MCSO.
Towards the conclusion of Monday's meeting, the board heard a request from a pair of local tractor and equipment distributors, Heath Lee, owner of Watts Brothers Implement Company, and Barnett, with Crain Tractor Company.
Although they are competitors within their respective businesses, both dealers simply asked that the board consider them as a bidding vendor source for any related tractor, equipment or implement needs of the county.
Board members, in alignment with the ever-popular notion of keeping expense funds within the local economy, agreed to take the request under advisement on an as-needed basis.
The next regularly scheduled board meetings are Monday thru Thursday, Nov. 1-4, and Monday, Nov. 15.
