The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors experienced a changing of the gavel on Monday as District 2 Supervisor Riley Rice was nominated by his peers and received a 3-2-vote confirmation as the new president for the upcoming four-year term.
District 5 Supervisor Gloria Dickerson was named to the vice-president’s position by that same 3-2 margin. The beginning of a new board term typically brings about a modification in leadership although it does not have to change.
Board Attorney Johnny McWilliams presented several alternatives to the county leaders, including the option to rotate the offices of president and vice-president after a predetermined time if both persons selected for the offices agreed.
Given that District 3 Supervisor Dennis Holmes announced his retirement early on and did not seek re-election, District 1 Supervisor Glenn Donald is now the most senior member among the county lawmakers and had served at the helm during the previous term that ended December 31.
Donald was nominated to retain the president’s position by District 4 Supervisor Anthony Clark, but was unsuccessful in the show of hands. He and Clark also nominated each other for the second seat; however, Clark respectfully declined the nomination. Rice nominated Dickerson and Dickerson was chosen in the vote.
Before officially and physically assuming the presidential seat, Rice offered up his explanation for nominating Dickerson as the vice-president. “I just think everybody should have an opportunity to learn. All of us are working together as it is,” he said.
Rice vowed that the group would continue to work unified for the betterment of the county and its citizens. “We gone work together, just like we have been doing, and we don’t want to get distracted. We are here to serve the people and that’s all that we can do,” he added.
After a brief mention of the escalated violence in the community and the need for a unified effort to address it, Rice concluded his opening remarks by reaffirming his intent to work in concert with everyone and expressing his appreciation at being selected as leader of the board.
In other business,
The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to give themselves, the justice court judges, board attorney and county prosecutor a pay increase from $40,400 to $41,612 as provided by the Mississippi Legislature.
McWilliams said that a legislative bill authorized the raises in 2019. “And the salary of a supervisor is set based on the assessed evaluation of the county. Unlike all of the other raises, they put a special provision in this statute that says for the supervisors to get their raise you have to vote to accept it,” he said.
McWilliams explained that it was not included as a provision for any of the other raises. “You don’t get the raise until you vote to accept it. They’ve done this before, it is nothing new,” he added.
In addition to that stipulation, McWilliams said the legislation imposes a statute that sets a justice court judge’s base salary at $32,789, but states that it will also be equal to that of a supervisor. “So if you don’t vote to take the raise that was given the supervisors, the justice court judge will not get a raise either.”
McWilliams said an additional statute set the county prosecuting attorney’s base salary at $19,300 but specifies that if that person is serving in a county where U.S. 82 and U.S. 49 intersect and has a state penitentiary then the salary would increase to $30,420. He said different provisions apply to different counties.
McWilliams continued, “Then there is a separate statute from that that says not withstanding anything else a county prosecuting attorney is suppose to make the same thing as a justice court judge.” (Who makes the same as a supervisor)
The judges and the county attorney are each currently paid $40,400, same as the five supervisors. Donald said that proviso has been in place more than 20 years.
In addition to the above-mentioned county positions, the board attorney’s fees are also linked. “My law firm receives as a retainer the amount that is paid to the supervisors, so if y’all don’t take a raise my firm won’t get one either,” said McWilliams.
County Administrator Gloria McIntosh said the raises were included in the current year’s budget. Dickerson made the motion and Clark seconded, all voted yes except newly elected District 3 Supervisor Ben Gaston. “All it’s going to do is increase the county’s expense,” he said.
Gaston added, “Everybody knew what it paid when we ran, y’all may have known a raise was coming, I didn’t.”
The county leaders also voted unanimously to re-employ and reappoint persons to several key positions including the county administrator and assistant, comptroller, purchasing clerk, road manager, accounts payable clerk, the board attorney and county engineering firm.
The lawmakers also approved a request from Sunflower County Consolidated School District Superintendent Miskia Davis for the county to assist in the paving of the roadway entrance to Moorhead Central School.
The district will pay for the materials and the county will provide the labor and equipment and the work will be done at the road department’s earliest convenience.
