Claiborne County Board of Supervisors releases end of year review

In a press release on Thursday, the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors published an end of year review and addressed some accomplishments made throughout the year.

Press Release:

Claiborne County Board of Supervisors End of Year Review

2022 Accomplishments and Upgrades…

Happy New Year to everyone! I would first like to say thank you to the citizens for trusting in the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors and supporting us throughout this journey. Throughout the 2022-year, Claiborne County made some tremendous upgrades and improvements. Some of those include, new voting machines, marriage licenses are now computerized, and we upgraded our Circuit courtroom. We have done many upgrades in the Chancery Courtroom as well including, new wiring, new wireless system for microphones, and structural repairs.

Claiborne County’s Economic Development Department received a grant for the Summer Youth STEM program which resulted in Summer Work for 101 Port Gibson High School students. The County was also awarded the Entergy’s Excellerator Grant resulting in the creation and publication of the “Welcome to Claiborne County” Guide. CCEDD recruited Cape Mountain LLC, the company that purchased the Prolon Plastics Plant in Port Gibson. The company is planning to renovate the plant and develop a new warehouse/distribution facility. Last year the office has assisted 259 Job Seekers to find work with several companies.

As it relates to housing, the county has renovated the Sugar Hills Estates, Hermanville Apartments, and is in the process of a complete rehabilitation of the Pattison Apartments. We are in the process of the rehabilitation of 10 homes in Claiborne County for the purpose of weatherization funded by a housing assistance grant.

This past year we made much needed improvements to our parks. The Hermanville walking trail is currently under construction. It was funded by a grant through the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks in the amount of $148,000. Also, there were bathroom/concessions renovations at the Fairgrounds. New fencing projects were completed at the Russum Park and Pattison Park to improve safety of the public. Additional lighting was also installed at the Pattison Park. More upgrades are scheduled this year for all parks.

In the Emergency Management Department, tornado sirens were used this year for the first time. We are scheduled to install three additional tornado warning sirens throughout the county. The new sirens were approved by FEMA to be placed at Midway, Hermanville and Pattison Fire stations. In addition, the EOC has a new system which informs citizens of issues that might arise such as late garbage pickup, boil water notices, severe weather updates, road closures, and more. Recently, bulletproof vests were purchased for the Sheriffs and Police Departments.

In the Fire Department a new vehicle was added to the fleet. A new set of Hurst Jaws of Life (spreaders, cutters, and ram) was purchased. The Fire Department developed a rank structure for its department and installed smoke alarms throughout the county. We are pleased to announce we have added two new firefighters to the department. The Fire Department will be receiving new turnout gear this year.
At the Claiborne County Road Department new vehicles and more road equipment were purchased. We are currently working on implementing a second Dura-Patching machine and limb cutter tractor. The road departments manpower and pay wages were also upgraded.

We are currently upgrading our county website. Below is a list of some of the new online services and new online payment options that Claiborne County has to offer: Application for Replacement Title, Birth Certificate Request Form, Cell Phone Tower Application, Disabled Parking Application, Employment Application, Homestead Exemption Worksheet, Motorboat Registration Application, local job search, Claiborne County Tax Parcel Maps, Important Dates for Property Owners, Property search, and a self-reporting link to report storm damages. The county now offers online payment options such as Real Property Tax Payments, Personal Property Tax Payments, Mobile Home Tax Payments, and Car Tag Renewals.

We have also been working aggressively to improve our road and bridge infrastructure in Claiborne County. In 2022 we completed over 20 FEMA erosion projects, washout projects, bridge improvements projects, etc. The FEMA Road and bridge erosion/drainage projects that are completed is Bald Hill Rd, Carlisle Ln, Grand Gulf Rd, Nathan Jones Rd, Nesmith Rd site 3, Sarepta Church Rd, Spinner Bottom Rd, Y-Camp Rd Site 2, Frazier Rd Site 1, Frazier Rd Site 2, Mert Davis Rd Site 3, Moss Down Ln, Nesmith Rd Site 1, Nesmith Rd Site 2, Old Colony Rd, and Old Colony Rd Site 2. We have replaced and installed a new bridge on Beechgrove Rd and currently replacing and installing a new bridge on White Hall Rd. We are in the process of replacing another bridge on Pattison/Hermanville Rd as well. A contract has been awarded and contractors are waiting on the weather conditions to improve to begin the paving of Anthony Street (road to A. W. Watson Elementary), Rodney Road and Old Hwy #1 (road to Port Gibson High School). Completed road paving projects include Bridewell Ln, Chinquepin St, White Hall Rd, and a large portion of Russum Westside Rd. The completion of Russum Westside Rd will begin this year and is funded by our state legislators. More road paving is scheduled for 2023 in each District.

The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department made many improvements. The new 911 phone system went live in 2022, the department received a new fleet of vehicles, new technology upgrades, secured body cameras for the deputies, recent remodeling of the jail, received funding from our state legislators to improve the HVAC AC/Heating Unit, and many grants. Recently the sheriff’s department acquired a new state-of-the-art surveillance camera system that will help reduce crime in the county and city. The system provides a 24/7 Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC), which uses technology to provide critical information to Law Enforcement in the field and to assist with investigations of criminal activity or quality of life concerns. Claiborne County Sheriff Edward Goods has implemented an initiative to help reduce unemployment in Claiborne County, in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, after securing funding through a COVID National Dislocated Worker Grant. Over 75 Claiborne County citizens were hired and placed in various departments in Claiborne County with pay ranging from $12 to $15 an hour. These jobs are temporary, but they can last up to 12 months, and potentially longer if the Secretary of Labor grants an extension.

Claiborne County has tremendously improved in Litter Control and Solid Waste. Our Litter Control department which includes Sammie Harrington and Kirk Johnson, has been successful in keeping Claiborne County clean. On a day-to-day basis, Mr. Sammie Herrington and his team goes out into every District and clean up roadsides and illegal dump sites on county roads. The sheriff’s job program has also assisted the litter control department with litter pick up which has made a major impact on litter the past couple of months. We are currently working with the sheriff’s department on a grant to possibly get funding for a youth center in Claiborne County. Initial steps have already begun for this future project. A new Welcome Sign was installed at the Claiborne County/Copiah County line.
Ongoing work is currently underway to restore and re-open the Blue Barn Theatre being done in collaboration with the Claiborne County Port Commission. The reopening of the Blue Barn will allow Claiborne County to offer a venue for theater and arts events, cinema movies, live music events & shows, drama & dance events, live theatrical & stage plays, live musicals, comedy events, photography & videography space. The Port Commission has recently purchased a state-of-the-art sound, lighting & projector system which installation will begin this month. The theater includes a large backstage area, concession area, office spaces and more.

These are just some of the upgrades and improvements we have accomplished in the year 2022. Again, we thank the citizens for the encouragement, love, prayers, and support as we continue to move Claiborne County forward to ultimately improve the quality of life. Stay tuned for more upgrades, improvements, and projects in Claiborne County in 2023. We wish everyone a prosperous and productive new year. Be blessed.

Claiborne County Board of Supervisors
-President Coney Dorsey