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Commission votes to uphold Fort Deposit bond agreement

Four mayors from across Lowndes County appeared before commissioners Monday to request funding to aid in completing municipal projects.

Hayneville Mayor Jimmie Davis addressed the commission to ask for assistance to solve a sewage problem on County Road 26. 

“The Town of Hayneville has been sued a couple of times [over] the sewage overflow on County Road 26,” Davis said. “One of the suggestions [for solving the problem] is that we put generators because when the power is out, we have sewage overflow.”

The town already purchased one generator, Davis explained. Three more are needed and will cost roughly $130,000.

Orbuty Ozier, Mayor for the Town of Gordonville, also petitioned commissioners for aid in supplementing funds from a Community Development Block Grant intended for park renovations.

“We worked on this grant for three years, but we got it,” Ozier said. “The things we want to do with the money are just not enough because the prices have escalated. We are falling short [for] what we want to do in our park.”

Ozier told commissioners that $50,000 in additional funding was needed to avoid downsizing the project goals for a parking lot, walking track and sidewalk.

Commissioner Robert Harris requested that White Hall Mayor Delmartre Bethel, who was not on the agenda, be allowed to petition commissioners. Bethel outlined sewer expansion efforts and the town’s aim to install lights along U.S. Highway 80. 

“We’re putting everything together based off what we’ve got and what we can do with it,” Bethel said. “I’m looking at ways to promote economic growth, but it’s a challenge when you have no resources, no way to develop the town and no way to really attract the people.”

Mayor Harold Bell of Mosses said the town needed approximately $40-$50,000 to meet needs in the area.

Attorney Prince Chestnut reported to commissioners that property tax revenue from the Fort Deposit Industrial Park, payable to the Town of Fort Deposit for a 2003 bond payment agreement, must be collected and sent to the town. The board voted 3-2 to approve a motion from Commissioner Joseph Barganier, seconded by Commissioner Dickson Farrior, to uphold the funding agreement. 

Commissioners Charlie King, Jr. and Robert Harris opposed the motion; Barganier, Farrior and Commissioner Fletcher Hayes voted yes.

Afterwards, King vacated his seat as chairman to make a motion that the commissioners split the money collected for Fort Deposit between the four towns petitioning the county for aid — Hayneville, Mosses, Gordonville and White Hall. The measure failed to pass when King and Harris voted “yes,” Farrior and Barganier voted “no” and Hayes abstained from voting.

According to County Administrator Jacquelyn Thomas, the Tax Collector Rosalyn Thomas was not able to disclose the amount due to Fort Deposit because the Industrial Park’s owners have not yet paid the tax.

In other business, commissioners appropriated $1,500 to Central High School’s Parent, Teacher, Student Organization (PTSA) and appointed Joshua Simmons to the Industrial Development Board.

The commission’s next meeting is set for Jan. 27 at 6 p.m.