The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation and update from representatives of Hope Credit Union this week regarding their efforts in Sunflower County and the Eastmoor Subdivision housing initiative, where 32 homes have been significantly rehabbed/renovated at Eastmoor and they are in the process of building 11 new homes according to the Hope officials.
The appearance also included an apprisal of Hope’s intent to continue working in the county and a request for the county to supply chips for the playground area and to continue the maintenance of the levee area around the subdivision.
The E-911 dispatchers will be getting a boost in pay after Sheriff James Haywood presented a proposal to increase the dispatchers’ pay from just over $10 per hour to $11 per hour. “We have the lowest paid dispatchers, probably in the state of Mississippi, and before we take care of everybody else, we need to take care of these people,” he said.
The lawmakers decided to have Haywood do a budget amendment to move the required funds from his overtime line item to the dispatchers’ pay line and they will vote on it at the next meeting.
Haywood also mentioned that he and the dispatchers are currently training on the new E-911 equipment, which should clear up any complaints regarding log times. He also indicated that the new process would take a considerable amount of work. “We might lose a couple (employees) out of this, but what I’m trying to do is give them an incentive to stay,” he said.
Additionally, he acknowledged that another deputy had successfully completed the required probationary period for an investigator, so Haywood also raised that investigator’s pay from $12.73 to $13 per hour.
At the request of Circuit Clerk Carolyn Hamilton, the county lawmakers also approved a lease rental agreement on a Main Street building to be used by the county election commissioners at a rate of $600 per month.
They also approved a request from Judge Carol White-Richard to purchase a list of new items, due to COVID-19, for the circuit courtroom. The county will purchase the items and the Administrative Office of Courts will reimburse the costs.
