Board approves hazardous‑waste vendor, multiple ARPA payouts and condemns two unsafe houses; minutes and routine items carried

The Rankin County Board of Supervisors on April 15 handled a slate of routine and financial items, including awarding a hazardous household‑waste contract, approving several contractor payouts on ARPA‑funded projects, and declaring two structures unsafe and subject to condemnation.

The board approved the following items during the meeting; motions and outcomes are summarized below.

Votes at a glance

- Hazardous household‑waste contract: Awarded to Northwood Environmental Services to operate the county’s household hazardous‑waste collection day and handle hazardous materials. Motion carried.

- Hazardous‑waste/cleanup schedule: County staff said the spring cleanup will be at the Agricultural Center on the last Saturday of the spring cleanup period in May; vendor will haul chemical paints and other household hazardous wastes.

- Road and construction payouts (ARPA and capital projects): the board approved multiple contractor payments and final payouts, including: • Gun Road improvements phase 2 — payout #11 to Imperial Construction Co., $114,922.29 (District 1). • Hydraulic restoration at “Melamine” (ARPA program element 4.09) — payout #6 to To Be Dirt and Contracting LLC, $40,809.63 (District 4). • Low Circle Bridge (ARPA program element 1.65) — final payment, $555,832.73 (District 1). • Pinebrook watershed / watershed protection (ARPA element 2.02) — change order #1 to Southeastern Pipeline Environmental Services: 90 additional days of contract time and minor drainage pipe items; net change $0. Motion carried. • Southeastern Pipeline Environmental Services — payout #7, $911,327.16 (District 2). • Reservoir East (ARPA) — payout #7 to Thornton Construction, $414,636.10 (final payment acknowledged). • Oak Grove — payout #9 to Southeastern Pipeline Environmental Services (approved). • Amanda Drive — final payout $30,625.57 (warranty period acknowledged through April 8, 2026).

- Financial/administrative items: • Approved minutes (April 7) and consent agenda items. • Petitions and homestead exemptions handled by the tax assessor’s office and chancery clerk (petitions to reach, petitions for change of assessment, and receipt of exemption requests). • Recognized an acknowledgment of receipt of excess fee income totaling $88,810 from the circuit clerk’s office and acknowledgement of 708 homestead applications submitted by the tax assessor for February 2025.

- Planning and land‑use permits: • Set public hearings for several nuisance and conditional‑use matters (noted dates were set for hearings on nuisance property and a conditional‑use permit for Pierce Construction on Star Road). • Approved a rezoning request for Corey Sanders (Stull Road parcel K‑14‑16‑30) after a public hearing (board motion carried).

- Property condemnations / nuisance properties: • 123 Lakeside Street (District 3) — county staff reported significant life‑safety issues including structural rot, electrical problems and sewage issues; the board declared the structure unfit for human habitation and condemned the property under state law. The board directed county staff to secure the property against entry and proceed under state condemnation procedures. Motion carried. • 2454 Star Road (Peggy Brown property) — after a fire and repeated structural and termite damage, the board condemned the property under state law but allowed a 60‑day window to remove salvageable personal property safely under fire‑coordinator oversight; at the end of the 60‑day period the county will require demolition and removal of remaining unsafe structures under the state condemnation action. Motion carried.

How motions were handled

Most routine motions were moved and seconded and carried on voice votes (the meeting record shows a pattern of “All in favor? Motion carries.”). Where staff provided additional information — for example, describing ARPA project elements or clarifying that the county is not taking on long‑term maintenance obligations for ARPA‑funded projects — the board accepted staff recommendations and approved disbursements or set hearings.

What the approvals do — and do not — change

The ARPA project payouts and final payments acknowledge work done and, in some cases, begin warranty periods; the board stressed that use of one‑time ARPA funds does not create a county obligation to assume long‑term maintenance of drainage or common areas unless formally adopted later. The condemnations start legal processes under state law to render unsafe structures inaccessible and remove them if owners do not remedy conditions.

Record and next steps

Board minutes will show motions and voice votes for most items; county staff will follow up on contract closeout tasks, warranty periods, issuance of checks and enforcement of conditions for condemned houses. For the nuisance properties the building department and fire coordinator will manage safe removal of salvageable items as permitted and proceed to demolition under state condemnation authority if owners do not remediate.