The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday featured a lively debate regarding the future of a truck which had originally been used by the sheriff’s department that is currently assigned to north Road Manager Ernest Ross.
Ross and fellow Road Manager T.J. Fairley brought the issue to the forefront, sparking a heated discussion among supervisors about whether to purchase a new truck.
"If you’re going to hire a man to be the road manager on the north end, I think you ought to give him the equipment he needs to work with," District 1 Supervisor Glenn Donald said.
Preventative Maintenance Director Tim Howell told the board that he had made repairs to the vehicle, and he also went into detail about some of the issues his department, along with a Ford dealership, had with syncing the truck’s software system.
District 3 Supervisor Roger Anthony inquired about the truck's condition. It was reported that the truck, a 2017 model, had over 200,000 miles and was indeed due for replacement.
District 2 Supervisor Riley Rice expressed concern over using the general fund for the purchase.
"If we wait until the new budget, we might get a new truck then," he suggested.
Donald explained that the budget for a new road manager's equipment typically comes from the bridge fund rather than the general fund. After much back-and-forth, Donald urged Rice to lower his voice while making his case against using the current budget.
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Clark reiterated the need for a new truck.
“Where are we going to get the money?” asked District 5 Supervisor Gloria Dickerson. “You all want to buy all these new trucks but don’t have the funds to do so.”
In a notable moment, Clark stated, "He can have mine," emphasizing his willingness to give up his county-owned vehicle for the road manager’s needs.
Clark and Donald both received county-owned vehicles last winter when the board voted to allow the supervisors to have trucks if they wanted one.
Fairley pointed out that Clark’s truck is two-wheel drive, further emphasizing the need for a suitable replacement.
Donald said that the road manager needs a truck to effectively perform his duties, and that it should not impact the general fund.
Following further discussions, Donald moved to purchase the truck, but Rice interrupted, raising procedural concerns about the timing of motions.
Anthony proposed tabling the decision until the following meeting to determine how much money was available in the bridge fund and the cost of a new truck.
The debate concluded with no official action taken, but the urgency for addressing the truck’s replacement was clear among the supervisors.
The discussion highlighted both the complexities of budget management and the pressing needs of the road maintenance team in Sunflower County.
