Rankin County supervisors ratify DA funding resolution, approve sheriff equipment purchase; vote to meet in executive session

The Rankin County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 27 ratified a resolution asking the Mississippi Legislature to fully fund assistant district attorneys in Judicial District 20, approved a purchase request for license-plate reader equipment for the sheriff’s office, and voted to enter executive session to discuss land acquisition and possible litigation.

Under the DA-funding item, staff told the supervisors the resolution had already been provided to the county’s legislative delegation and requests the state cover the salaries of assistant district attorneys that Rankin and Madison counties have been partially funding. “The benefit to Rankin County citizens is that if this legislation is adopted... the state will pick up the tab and the cost to the taxpaying citizens of Rankin County will be visited upon the state of Mississippi rather than upon the citizens of our county,” a county official said while presenting the item. Supervisors voted to ratify the resolution. The motion to approve was made and seconded; the transcript records “All in favor? Aye. Motion carried.”

The board also approved a procurement request presented as a justification for Insight LPR-manufactured equipment for the sheriff’s department; a motion was made and the board recorded the vote as in favor. Transcript record: “I made a motion... Second... All in favor? Aye. Motion carries.” The record does not include a line-item dollar amount in the discussion at the meeting.

Finally, supervisors voted to meet in executive session to discuss land acquisition and possible litigation. A motion to move into executive session for those stated reasons was made (mover recorded as Jay) and seconded (Scott), and the motion passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: ratifying the DA-funding resolution aims to shift personnel costs for state prosecutors from county taxpayers to the state budget if the legislature acts. The sheriff’s equipment decision affects law enforcement capability; the transcript does not record funding source or contract details in the hearing. Executive session votes indicate pending property acquisition and legal matters the board intends to address in closed session.

Next steps: county staff will continue to work with legislators on the DA funding request, proceed with procurement steps related to the sheriff’s equipment as authorized, and conduct the executive-session discussion per statutory requirements.