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Board of Engineers asks for investigator, more travel and a $600,000 biennial grants pool
Summary
The Mississippi Board of Licensure for Engineers and Surveyors requested an additional investigator position, modest travel and IT funds, and restoration of a biennial grant program asking for $600,000 to fund equipment grants for engineering programs.
Monica Gilmore, executive director of the Mississippi Board of Licensure for Engineers and Surveyors, and board president Carrie Harden told the appropriations subcommittee the board has moved most licensing online, expanded K‑12 and collegiate outreach, and decoupled surveyor exams for more streamlined registration.
Harden outlined a recurring grants program—historically every other year—that the board said supports engineering programs across the state. The board proposed restoring a $600,000 grants authority (up from prior cycles closer to $400,000–$500,000) to fund lab equipment and hands‑on materials for universities and community colleges.
The board also requested an additional investigator position (estimated near $58,000–$62,000) to handle complaints and audits and to avoid board members having to investigate matters that later come before them. Additional modest contractual increases for IT maintenance, travel to national associations and expansion of an internship stipend were also included.
Senators probed cash balances and why the board cycles grants biennially; board leaders explained the cadence preserves grant size and avoids diluting awards. The committee requested clarifying schedules and additional backup on cash balance and staffing estimates before final decisions.
