Tunica County votes to move forward on new county services building after debate over costs and reimbursements

Tunica County supervisors voted in May to move forward with plans for a new county services facility after hearing staff presentations and a debate about cost and reimbursement assumptions.

The facility discussion centered on a proposed 4,200-square-foot building and financing options. Staff materials presented to the board show differing figures for reimbursable space and projected reimbursements; the board heard that the county’s portion of the building was estimated, in documents, at between 3,000 and 3,650 square feet. A staff presenter said the agenda packet shows a $2.5 million construction estimate and an estimated loan payment of about $250,000 a year over 15 years at roughly a 5.5% interest rate.

Board members and staff debated whether the county would receive meaningful external reimbursement for the project. Presenters said one reimbursement estimate in the packet showed roughly $30,000 reimbursed in the current calendar year, while another document indicated $60,000 based on fair-market calculations. Staff also said some program spaces — including youth services and child-care development — were accounted for at much smaller square-foot credit levels in the reimbursement worksheet (300 square feet for youth counselors and 300 square feet for child-care development in the packet), a point several supervisors pressed on.

A county staff member explained how SNAP and other economic-assistance programs are treated under the funding rules presented to the board and noted that the county could receive up to $350 per funded position depending on employees assigned to the space.

Opponents of the project urged caution on the financials. One board member asked whether the county could instead renovate the existing building for roughly $1 million and pointed to the difference in up-front cost and slower payback under the proposed new construction. Supporters countered that the new facility would provide improved, secure space for county services and benefit residents who rely on assistance programs; one supervisor said the facility would show the county’s commitment to serving its constituents.

After discussion, a supervisor made the motion "to move forward with building another facility." The board chair called for the vote: "All in favor? Aye. Opposed? No. Motion carried." The motion carried and the item will proceed toward next steps listed in the agenda packet.

Next actions listed in the meeting discussion included additional review of staffing plans, clarification of which square footage would be eligible for reimbursement, and follow-up communications between staff and the board. The board did not adopt a final financing agreement at the meeting; supervisors instructed staff to continue work on the project and return with any required follow-up information for a future meeting.