A $6 million bond intent notice for road construction and maintenance projects failed Monday after receiving little support from the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors.
If approved, the Board President Orlando Trainer-backed motion would have allowed the county to tend to numerous road and bridge projects while spreading debt across about a decade. Representatives estimated less than 2 mills would be required to retire the debt if they issued the notice’s full amount.
Trainer’s motion died at the table without a second.
The intent notice was neither specifically listed on the supervisors’ Monday agenda, nor added late at the table. The notice was discussed during time slated for comments from Buddy Mitchum, a member of the Jackson-based Government Consultants, on refinancing a previous OCH Regional Medical Center revenue bond. A copy of the bond intent notice was placed in supervisors’ meeting packets but not brought to light by county representatives before Monday’s session.
Last month, Trainer and District 4 Supervisor Daniel Jackson sparred over clashing road philosophies. Trainer, an advocate for paving and new construction, tried numerous bond intent notices in 2012 only to see them fail at the table, while Jackson previously said his philosophy is one of “maintain first; build as allowed.”
Trainer found himself at odds Monday with District 3 Supervisor Marvel Howard, the previous board president. Trainer’s predecessor said he was not in favor of placing further tax burdens upon Oktibbeha County residents’ shoulders for such a small yield of road work. If supervisors divided the money equally, the county’s five districts would only see $1.2 million each for projects.
Trainer reminded supervisors that they previously approved an intent notice for up to $5 million in bonds to entice future economic development investments. The county faces considerable need for road repairs, he said, but approved the development bonds for unidentified, “phantom projects.”
“That’s a preference for whether you’re willing to tax the people for jobs or to build roads,” Howard said.
“Which one is better?” Trainer asked. “When you’re taxing for jobs, that’s a two-sided coin, too. What you’re doing is (providing benefits to a private company). I think that in this county, spending money on infrastructure is one of our greatest investments.”
“I don’t think the answer to everything is to issue more bonds,” District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery said. “I don’t think that’s a catch-all improvement — to issue more bonds and more bonds.”
Sensing opposition against the notice, Trainer suggested sending the matter to a countywide referendum in 2015. Bonds funding OCH’s physical expansions previously went to voters, Trainer said, and found public support. A potential road bond should receive the same treatment, he argued.
Howard said he would support a move that places the decision with voters, but he did not offer a second when called upon by Trainer later in the meeting.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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