Lowndes County supervisors approved entering into an inter-local agreement to procure bids for new aerial photography during their meeting Friday.
County tax assessor Greg Andrews said in 2007, the last time aerial images for parcel maps and general reference were updated, it cost approximately $105,000. Entering into a joint project could cut that number nearly in half, he said.
County appraiser Pat Adair said 20 counties are partnering in the inter-local agreement.
“That is something that’s been tried before in the state already two different times and has (proved successful)as far as saving the counties considerable monies,” Adair said.
Upon receiving approval from the state atttorney general’s office, the next step will be to move forward witth the bid process. Lowndes County’s next obligation will come at a point when the bids have been submitted and accepted and the county begins to deal individually with the contractor, Adair said.
“At this point in time, we’re obligated to nothing other than joining in the inter-local agreement,” Adair said. “Then from there we can move on with possible grants being available through MDOT (Mississippi Department of Transportation) and possibly other entities, too, to help offset the cost of the photography. Under the former projects of this type, there have been good savings as far as one county individually contracting photography versus a joint venture contracting photography.”
Andrews said after the photography is complete, the next step would be to incorporate those images into the county’s mapping system.
In other business, supervisors approved the hiring of Jason Harrison as an operator in the road department at $14.44 per hour and authorized board president Harry Sanders to execute a lease currently being prepared by the Golden Triangle Development Link for CalStar Products. The sustainable building material manufacturer has agreed to locate an operation in the county. Link CEO Joe Max Higgins said he expects to close on the property before the board meets again on July 1.
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks was absent from the meeting.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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