The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors is considering negotiating a contract with a government-project consultant agency to help efficiently manage the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Local Government Solutions and Strategies is a Greenville-based project management agency that provides resources to municipalities and local entities with assistance in planning, design and capital projects. LGSS Owner Andrew Smith spoke at the board’s regular meeting Monday on how his company can be an asset to the county when deciding on how to productively spend ARPA money.
“We know that government projects are complex, and we don’t like to leave clients or potential clients alone to navigate those processes,” Smith said. “We’re very familiar with federal and state project funding — how those counties and communities are to remain in compliance and the processes related to implementation.”
Board Attorney Rob Roberson said Oktibbeha County will receive around $8 million in ARPA funds by the end of 2022. They must spend the money on qualifying uses by the end of 2026. Those uses include such things as water/sewer infrastructure, broadband access, revenue loss and hazard pay for certain public employees, among other things.
The board has not officially had a discussion about the usage of its ARPA funds, but several supervisors have voiced preferences for the aid’s potential projects and plans, such as District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery and District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer wanting to improve roads across the county, District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard wanting the Oktibbeha County Lake dam fixed and Roberson encouraging the board to consider putting funds into a new county headquarters.
If the board decides to contract with LGSS, 2 percent of its ARPA funds will go toward fees to pay the company. The fees will fund the services needed to complete the desired projects, such as easements, procurements and bids and also apply for other grants.
“I do believe there are some things that you all have wanted to do over the years, and this is an opportunity to make an investment in your community,” Smith said.
The board did not set a date on when it will vote whether or not to contract with LGSS.
Lowndes County supervisors and the Columbus City Council are also considering hiring consultants for spending ARPA funds.
Water project update
Four water projects are underway in Oktibbeha County.
The county joined the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District, a Tupelo-based water management agency that oversees flood control, cleanup and repair projects on waterways of all sizes in 13 northeast Mississippi counties, in May 2020. David Kennard, the county’s representative on the Tombigbee board of directors, said all the county water projects are in progress, and the district is ready to take the next steps.
The current projects involve cleaning up debris from several waterways throughout the county so water can “flow free,” Roberson said. These waterways are Skinner, Shaw, Sun and Trim Cane creeks.
The total cost for these projects will be $75,000, Kennard said. The county’s total budget for the Fiscal Year 2022, which begins Oct. 1, for the Tombigbee fees and projects it will conduct is $422,828.
Kennard said the district has to obtain several easements before it can proceed with construction, but once those are acquired, a crew will soon come to the county to complete the projects.
“Tombigbee has done everything they can possibly do on these projects, and we’re waiting on easements,” Kennard said. “If we can get those easements … they’re ready to get to go to work down here. I’m pushing them hard to try to get them down here.”
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