The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors appointed Greg Stewart to serve on the East Mississippi Community College Board of Trustees during it’s Tuesday meeting, choosing the Director of Development at Aurora Flight Sciences over Tim Heard, who was seeking his fourth appointment to the board.

Heard, a computer systems analyst for the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District, had served on the EMCC board for the past 15 years, but his tenure on the board ended Tuesday. Stewart, who has been with Aurora Flight Sciences since it opened in Lowndes County in 2007, took over his spot on the 12-member board Wednesday. He will serve a five-year term.

Supervisors spoke favorably of both candidates. District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks made a motion to reappoint Heard for a fourth-term, citing a need to maintain continuity as the schools continues its search for a new president and continues its current building prospects.

District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith seconded Brooks motion, but during discussion, District 2 Supervisor Bill Brigham made a substitute motion to appoint Stewart to the board with District 3 Supervisor and Board Vice President John Holliman seconding the motion.

“Tim Heard has been a wonderful board member, but with the focus now on workforce development, I think Greg’s experience in one of those industries would be a huge asset for the board,” Brigham said. “That’s no reflection of Tim or the job he has done, but I think Greg has some insight, through his work in the industry, that is really important.”

District 1 Supervisor and Board President Harry Sanders said he felt appointing Stewart to the board in Heard’s place would give the EMCC board better balance.

“I’m fixing to say something that may be controversial, but I’m just going to jump right in,” Sanders said. “Tim (Heard) works at the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District and they already have Rudy Johnson, who is the head of the (GTPDD) on the board. I think having two board members gives them too much influence.”

The board voted 3-2 in favor of the substitute motion to appoint Stewart, with Brooks and Smith voting no.

“I had an idea it might turn out this way,” Heard said. “I’m a little disappointed, but that’s all part of how this works. I have no problem with the board’s decision. I’m sure Greg will do a great job on the board.”

Stewart said he was eager to get to work.

“I take over (Wednesday), which is April Fool’s Day,” Stewart said. “Hopefully, no one will read too much into that. Seriously, though, I appreciate the appointment. I’m very excited about what’s happening with EMCC and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

Other board business

The board unanimously approved plans to bid out the demolition of the fire station at West Lowndes after tabling the motion at its previous meeting. At that meeting, the board decided to hold off on the move to determine whether the new fire station should be enlarged to provide space for ambulance service, something the airport and area industry say is needed in the area.

“The way I look at it, let’s go ahead and build the new fire station, but make sure that we can expand it for ambulance service later,” Sanders said. “Right now, we don’t really know if the ambulance service is going to go there or will be at the airport or at the industrial park. Rather than wait, I think we should go ahead with our plans for the station. We can always come back and expand it later.”

The board approved the motion to advertise for bids for demolition and removal of the existing station.

County Fire Supervisor Sammy Fondren said once demolition is complete, building the new station will not take long.

“You’re talking about a per-fabricated metal building, only 3,500 square feet, on a concrete slab,” Fondren said. “It should go up pretty quickly, probably in six months if the weather is good.”

The board made two other appointments Tuesday, re-appointing Roger Bell and Charles Miller to the Port Authority Board and re-appointing Keith Worsham to the E-911 Board.

A proposal to appoint Columbus Fire & Rescue Chief Martin Andrews to an at-large position on the E-911 Board failed to come to a vote after Sanders proposed that the supervisors return to its previous E911 board system.

Sanders said the board was originally composed of five voting members, representing each of the county’s five districts, along with non-voting advisory members. Sanders suggest that the board return to that configuration, with the sheriff, chief of police and fire chief serving as non-voting members who would advise the board.

The board expects to take up the matter again during its April 15 meeting.

The board’s next meeting will be April 6 at 9 a.m. at the county courthouse.

Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].