Rankin County officials review proposed MOU with state forensic lab; meeting recessed to Jan. 6

Rankin County officials closed an executive session, discussed a proposed memorandum of understanding with the state Department of Public Safety concerning placement of a forensic scientist in Rankin County, and recessed the meeting to Jan. 6.

A staff member reviewing the draft MOU said the state forensic crime lab’s proposal would "assume full responsibility for all compensation including overtime pay, payroll benefits, including federal and state employment taxes, workers compensation, pension benefits, deferred compensation, health insurance coverage in its sole discretion for the [scientist assigned to Rankin County]." The staff member said that provision addressed the chief concern they had raised, and that the item would be returned to the board on Jan. 6 for further consideration.

The board also moved to end the executive session. A motion to come out of executive session was made and seconded and was approved by voice vote. Members then moved to recess the meeting until Jan. 6; that motion was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Officials explicitly stated there were no votes or agreements made during the executive session itself. No numeric cost estimates or a start date for an assigned scientist were presented during the discussion; the staff member said a review of the MOU was still in progress and that a follow-up would be brought to the board on Jan. 6.

The discussion was limited to the terms described in the draft MOU and did not include a formal approval, contract signature, or fiscal authorization. Minutes of the next meeting are expected to record any formal action the board chooses to take on the MOU.