Rankin County supervisors approve bond intent, equipment purchases, permits and several tax-exemption items

The Rankin County Board of Supervisors on June 2 approved a slate of agenda items ranging from a resolution of intent to issue general obligation bonds to procurement, permits and tax-exemption matters.

Major items approved or ratified by the board included:

- Resolution of intent to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed $40,000,000: The board adopted a resolution of intent to notify the public and prepare for a future bond issuance for capital projects. The resolution authorizes retaining professionals to support the bond issuance process.

- Purchase authorization for a 2024 Kenworth T380 grapple truck: The board authorized county staff to bid and, if needed, purchase a one-year-old grapple truck at auction with a bid limit up to $150,000 to assist tree-clearing and related work.

- Award of contract for outdoor weather sirens: The board awarded the contract for replacement/installation of outdoor weather sirens to Jackson’s Communications, accepting the bid that complied with specifications (contract amount shown in the bid documents). Staff said the bid covers approximately 40 sirens and 6 new locations and includes integration with county emergency notification systems.

- Adoption of revised Standard Operating Guidelines for volunteer fire departments with delayed effective date: The board adopted revised SOGs but paused their effective date for 60 days to allow supervisors time to meet with local volunteer fire chiefs; the revised guidelines will take effect on Aug. 2, 2025 unless further changes are adopted.

- Conditional use permit for seasonal crawfish sales at 112 Fisherman’s Lane: The board approved a conditional use permit for Kenny Dawson to operate a seasonal crawfish cooking and sales business on a 4.12-acre A-1 zoned parcel; no opposition callers were reported.

- Permits and approvals: The board approved an AT&T permit to construct a cabinet along Cato Road and Charlie Dixon, ratified an MOU allowing Simpson County to use Rankin County’s paint wagon for striping work and acknowledged final certification from the Mississippi Department of Revenue for a Cooperwood Senior Living LLC tax-exemption previously conditioned on state certification.

- Tax-exemption items: The board approved a tax-exemption refund where the Mississippi Department of Revenue dismissed a chargeback (consent item earlier on the agenda), approved a cemetery exemption for PLCRSW Mississippi Holdings LLC (former Gardens of Memory) and accepted a tax-exemption filing for Steam Creek Presbyterian Church for tax year 2026. The Salvation Army exemption request was denied after discussion (covered in a separate article).

- Intergovernmental agreement to house misdemeanor inmates for City of Vicksburg: The board authorized a memorandum of understanding with the City of Vicksburg under which the county will accept misdemeanor offenders from Vicksburg and be reimbursed per state guidance; the terms discussed include per-head daily payments and logistics for intake and medical screening.

Motions for these items were made and seconded as recorded in the meeting minutes; when bids or specifications were deficient (one low siren bidder omitted required components) staff recommended rejecting or paying attention to compliance, and the board accepted the recommendation to award to the compliant vendor.

Several items on the consent agenda were approved without extended debate. Where board members requested additional follow-up (for example the SOGs), staff committed to return with any suggested edits before the delayed effective date.