MS law enforcement agencies speak on successes of Operation Unified, announce phase two
NEWS

Supervisors approve morgue for Lamar County

Ellen Ciurczak
American Staff Writer

Lamar County soon will have its own morgue. County supervisors voted 5-0 Monday to set up a morgue in a building on Central Industrial Row in Purvis. Supervisors also voted unanimously to purchase a transport van for the county coroner to use.

"A county of our size and growth and residents should take care of its own transport and morgue services," County Administrator Jody Waits said.

Waits said it would cost about $30,000 to set up the morgue and buy the transport van. He expected the morgue would be operational by November.

The county had been contracting for morgue services and transport for about $50 to $100 a night for the morgue and another $50 to $100 for transport, depending upon miles.

"We won't be paying someone to transport, and we won't be paying someone for morgue services," Waits said. "Beyond the savings, we feel it would be better for the families if we're doing the transporting and morgue services."

RELATED: Lamar County supervisors investigate energy savings

Bluegrass festival

Supervisors also voted to spend $20,000 to hire Bertie Sullivan as promoter for the county bluegrass festival in March. Sullivan promoted the county's bluegrass festival more than a decade ago and has been associated with music festivals in Louisiana, Indiana and Greene County.

"That's an annual event the county does," Waits said. "In the past, we've done it ourselves. We feel like we can make it a bigger, better festival by hiring a promoter."

Sullivan said she would seek grants for funding for advertising and other promotion. She said the county has missed the deadline for the only grant available to pay for operating expenses.

Sullivan said the festival should have a big effect on the area economically.

RELATED: Lamar County bluegrass festival marks 10 years

"The economic impact it would have on our businesses would be tremendous," she said. "Of course — all your service industries, such as your restaurants, service stations, grocery stores, because there is RV camping available.

"Then our hotels and motels in the Hattiesburg area because we don't have any per se in Purvis."

Sullivan wasn't sure about attendance numbers. She said when she was involved with the festival, it attracted 500 to 750 people each day.

Waits said the county is hoping for larger numbers than in the past few years.

"We expect at least 500 to attend the festival over the three days of the event," he said. "By hiring a professional promoter, we hope to increase that significantly."

In other action

•Supervisors voted 5-0 to issue a Request for Qualifications from energy services companies to design, install and guarantee performance of projects a county committee previously identified as top priorities.

Those projects include updating the elevator in the Central Office Complex, renewing aging heating, ventilation and air systems at Gamble Chancery Court, the Law Enforcement Center and Central Office Complex, fixing moisture infiltration at the Circuit Courthouse and installing key card access at 18 community centers.

•County Engineer Don Walker reported to supervisors what he observed at the intersection of Old Highway 11/Richburg Road/McMahon Road, which the board had asked him to check because of several accidents there. He said the county had between 100 feet to 600 feet of right-of-way there. Supervisors asked him to see if trees could be cleared to improve the sight lines or if a turn lane could be installed.

•Supervisors also asked Walker to check three other intersections: Fourth Street at Lake Thoreau Road, Sumrall Road at Seminary Road and Old Highway 24 at Magnolia Trace.