Area developer Mark Castleberry was re-appointed to a second four-year term to the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau on a 3-1 vote by the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors on Monday.
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks voted against the appointment and District 2 Supervisor John Holliman was not present. The meeting marked the return of District 1 Supervisor and board president Harry Sanders who was hospitalized 18 days during January after a bout with pneumonia.
Castleberry was not present for the appointment and he could not be reached for comment.
Although Lowndes County Administrator Ralph Billingsley had initially said Fred Kinder had also asked that his resume be resubmitted, Castleberry was the only applicant for the appointment.
“Fred Kinder does not work in the hotel-motel industry,” Billingsley said. “This an appointment from the hotel-motel industry.”
The board also reappointed Donnie Stevens to another five-year term to the board of the Columbus-Lowndes Recreational Authority. Justin Shelton was reappointed to the Mississippi Regional Railroad Board. Billinglsey said the supervisors are accepting applications for an appointment to the board of Golden Triangle Solid Waste Management.
Billingsley also discussed the old health department property during the monthly meeting. The 1.1 acres on Military Road has been vacant since the old health department building was demolished in 2012.
“The building has been removed and it is just sitting there empty,” Billingsley said. “I need some direction in which way you want to go with this.”
Board attorney Tim Hudson said the board could look at selling the property. District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks encouraged the board to get the most money for the property, which is next to both commercial and residential property.
“We should take sealed bids and not accept anything lower than what it has been appraised for,” Brooks said.
The board asked Billingsley to explore the options and to bring his findings to the Feb. 15 meeting.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 52 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.