The Coahoma County Board of Supervisors is likely to raise taxes this year because inflation and the cost of services have increased but revenues have not kept pace.

This week, the county expects to collect approximately $24.96 million in revenue, of which approximately $8.6 million was raised through ad valorum revenue.

Acting County Administrator Daniel Vassel said the cost is expected to be about $9.2 million and he estimated the county would have to raise taxes by 2.92 percent.

One mill brings in about $110,000.

Vassel said the drastic cuts in the county budget should allow the county to balance its budget for 2024-25. State law requires a balanced budget and the board is responsible for raising taxes accordingly.

Derrell Washington, district manager of the 3rd District, pointed out that the district is also required by law to provide certain services such as roads, bridges and law enforcement, as well as to provide financial support to district offices.

“I think we need to look at some of the local and private bills that have been passed in recent years that allow us to fund additional agencies,” Washington said. “I don’t think we should be paying people we don’t have to pay and letting the things we are obligated to do suffer.”

Vassel said he has met with county department heads to learn what their projected budget needs are for 2024-25. He said he has most of those numbers and will present them to the board, which will have to tell him where to make cuts.

Before supervisors had a chance to look at Vassel’s proposed budget, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jon Levingston appeared before the board and requested that an additional 0.44 percent be imposed on taxpayers due to inflation and the need to keep the county’s economic development efforts strong and successful.

The county first raised 1.56 per mille for the chamber in August 2020, at a time when it had a budget of $9.3 million. Levingston went before the board again last year, asking for a per mille increase, and the board agreed to give the chamber ARPA money instead and not raise taxes.

Last year was an election year and Coahoma County did not raise taxes.

In other business areas

• The board resubmitted a request from Carnegie Library Librarian Tracy Caradine and Library Board Chair Jacqueline Tyler requesting $80,000, or half of the estimated $160,000 needed to repair the historic building. Caradine said the city is applying for a rare historic building grant to get its half of the funding for a roof for the original library.

The library is city property, and the board asked Caradine to let the board know when the city found its half, and the board would then review her application.

• The Board will promote the Lula/Rich Water Extension Project

• Jimmy Walker of SafTCart appeared before the board and urged them to preserve the industrial park and local buildings that might be of interest to a business or industry.

Walker said he has spoken with city and county officials and is having difficulty figuring out who in the community is responsible for security, mowing the properties and general maintenance of the industrial facilities.

“It used to be that the Industrial Foundation told the city and county what needed to be done to make these properties look nice and presentable to potential customers,” Walker said. “The way some of them look now, you’re not going to get the state or Delta Strong to come here and show a customer one of our buildings.”

At the request of 4th District Supervisor Jesse Harris and 5th District Supervisor Will Young, the county assigned Road Manager Otis Griffin to maintain county property.

• Scott Litwiller of UpLink asked the board to reimburse the federal government for part of his grant. ARPA consultant Andrew Smith said Litwiller was not entitled to the amount he was asking for. The board agreed to pay UpLink $21,547.96 for the work it did.

According to Litwiller, UpLink’s broadband project in the county is 98 percent complete. Litwiller said UpLink will seek another round of financing when it becomes available.

• County Engineer Marcus Hooker said he found a grant to build sidewalks, bike and pedestrian paths and convert abandoned railroad lines into walking trails. He said supervisors will have to look at the projects in their districts to decide whether to apply for that grant.

Hooker also said it’s time for the county to update its waste management plan with MDEQ. Hooker said the plan would cost about $70,000, but he found a grant that could cover 90 percent of that cost.

• The Board approved tax exemptions for Image Industries and People Shores.

• The Board of Supervisors approved a request by Sheriff Mario Magsby to reallocate approximately $100,000 in ARPA funds to help him purchase vehicles for his sheriff’s deputies.

ARPA consultant Smith had allocated this money for the HOME Assistance grant, but he could not find anyone to apply for it.

• The board approved the purchase of a broom brush to be mounted on a county tractor to sweep county roads and parking lots.

• The board approved a $26,565 bill to repair the county’s tar spray truck.

• The Board approved the cleanup and tax assessment of ten properties on Perry and Meadowbrook Drive.

• Supervisors voted to participate in the state’s Beaver Control Program County (BCAP), which provides a $7,500 bounty for beaver trapping in Coahoma County.

• The county voted to move its recycling department to the highway department.

• At the request of District Administrator Vassel, the Board of Directors met to discuss personnel issues.