Supervisors stressed improving infrastructure
Plans for a new fire station in the Monterey area are part of a new $125 million budget Rankin County officials approved Tuesday.
The county’s Board of Supervisors stressed during the near monthlong budgeting process the need to trim operational spending to fund infrastructure improvements, like the new station.
“We had to cut back on anything we didn’t need,” board President Greg Wilcox said.
The budget for fiscal 2010, which begins Oct. 1, is $17 million higher than the current year’s budget because of bond sales aimed to gather funds for roadwork and other infrastructure projects.
The new $750,000 fire station is planned for Mississippi 468 near the Live Oaks subdivision.
Right now, the nearest fire station is the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department, which is five miles away. This additional station will allow Monterey to more effectively service residents, Wilcox said.
“It’s a big need,” Wilcox said. “Five miles doesn’t seem like a long way, but just minutes can save a life or a home.”
About 3,500 to 4,000 residents live within three miles of the future station, Wilcox said. Rankin County Administrator Clovis Reed said the county plans to open bids in November, and the project should take 10 to 12 months to complete.
Rankin’s budget is the largest county budget in the Jackson metro area, and the only one to come with pay increases for employees. The county’s 467 employees will get a 3 percent raise, and the budget funds 17 new employees.
The county’s tax levy, also approved Tuesday, is the same as last year’s, but the levy for the Rankin County School District will increase by about half a mill, per request of the school district.
Roadwork that will be funded in the fiscal 2010 budget includes Erlich Road, Old Fannin Road, East Metro Parkway and Henderson Road. New buildings will include a Department of Health facility in Pearl, additional space for the Central Mississippi Regional Library System and the Juvenile Justice Center.
County leaders, architects and Yates Construction met Monday to discuss plans for the Juvenile Justice Center, a $10 million project planned in the Pelahatchie Industrial Park.
The new building, expected to be completed in 12-18 months, will replace the current outdated and crowded facility.
“Pelahatchie is rolling out the red carpet for us,” the center’s Judge Tom Broome said Tuesday.
Wilcox said the budget process was rigorous, including several weeks of open meetings. “We took extreme pains at looking at all departments – line item by line item,” he said.
Office supplies and travel were among items cut.
Although some residents raised an issue last week about the budget’s size, no one spoke against adoption of the budget Tuesday.
Several business and area leaders complimented the budget at the meeting, including area builder Charles Porter.
Porter praised the board for pushing for infrastructure improvements. “I want to tell you that you do a good job,” he said. “It’s a thankless job.”
Rankin First Economic Development Authority President Noel Daniels said it’s important for the county to continue to flourish, noting the importance of new roads, like the East Metropolitan corridor, which the county is helping fund.
“Like a tomato, if you stay stale, you’ll fall off the vine,” Daniels said.
The Clarion-Ledger, B1, 9/16/09
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