The primary election, the primary runoffs and general election are done; however, the final result of one county race is yet to be decided. A runoff between David Ruffin and Evelyn La’Fay Woods for the District 4 position on the Sunflower County Consolidated School District board of trustees still has to take place next Tuesday.
On Monday the Sunflower County Board of Supervisors gave Circuit Clerk Carolyn Hamilton permission to use non-scanable paper ballots instead of the electronic machines. Hamilton said using that process will require the poll managers to tally the votes after the 7 p.m., poll closing.
Hamilton said she has also gotten permission from the Secretary of State’s office to conduct the election in that manner. According to Hamilton, only four precincts in the northern portion of the county will be affected and not using the machines will save the county thousands of dollars. “You’ll save anywhere from $10,000 to $12,000,” she said.
A recent change in the state law has resulted in the school board positions now needing the 50.01 percent in order for a winner to be declared.
There were three persons in that race originally and neither received the required percentage. And since school board members have to run as independents with no primary election held, it necessitated a runoff.
Although nothing has been formally discussed or decided, Hamilton said there has been some talk about implementing a more secure (hacker resistant) balloting system involving printable ballots.
In other business,
The solid waste clerk reported more than $4,000 collected in arrears payments for the previous month.
The county leaders heard a request from the Sunflower County Consolidated School District to put gravel near a privately-owned apartment complex north of Drew because the owner has complained about damage done to the property by the buses.
Board Attorney Johnny McWilliams said the county could provide the gravel if it was for a bus turnaround. A discussion ensued about the location because that would determine if it was lawful. “We just need to look at the map,” McWilliams said.
There was also a discussion on what to do about inmate transportation since the county road manager reported that the engine in the current bus has to be replaced.
President Glenn Donald mentioned that in times past that a certain agency donated its used school buses to the county; however, that agency is no longer in possession of those buses.
A public hearing was held to hear any objections to the abandonment of certain roads in Holly Ridge.
The county lawmakers discussed the purchase of dump trucks and the closing of Maxwell Road and Lannimore Road for the winter months and heard a request to close Bill Lester Road but took no action and decided to recess until November 26 at 11 a.m.
