Pike County supervisors Friday discussed the eventual reopening of the courthouse and the immediate distribution of coronavirus masks.
Civil defense director Richard Coghlan gave each supervisor around 1,000 masks and said more are on the way — though likely not enough.
“We’ve got 40,000 people in Pike County. They say a mask for everybody in the county, but there’s not enough to go around,” he said.
Supervisors said they are contacting churches that might need the masks, as well as giving them to anyone who asks. Supervisor Tazwell Bowsky said he handed some out from a booth on Summit Street and gave some to the McComb mayor.
Coghlan said he has already distributed masks to medical personnel and first responders.
The masks he gave supervisors are for general use and are good for about four hours of use, he said.
Officials have been installing Plexiglas screens in offices for the eventual reopening of the courthouse.
All courthouse services are available now, but the public is generally restricted from entry.
On Friday, supervisors approved Tax Assessor Laurie Allen’s request to pay City Paint & Glass of McComb $3,565 for a Plexiglas screen and glass door in that office.
Allen said her office provides curbside service to people who call ahead.
“My staff is using masks and wearing gloves,” she noted.
Tax Collector Gwen Nunnery has already had screens installed in her office, and circuit clerk and chancery clerk offices are next in line.
Officials estimated it will be about a month before all the screens are in place.
Nunnery said the public can still do everything needed at the courthouse.
“We have not stopped servicing our taxpayers of Pike County,” she said.
“They just need to call the office and see how to handle that.”
Supervisors said they have been getting calls from citizens asking when the courthouse will open fully.
“We would like to wait until we have all the safety glass up,” said Chancery Clerk Becky Buie, noting her office lets people come into the lobby one at a time for service when they call ahead.
Sheriff James Brumfield noted that circuit court and drug court will resume Monday, meaning people involved will be in the courthouse. Court may also mean fewer deputies out front helping the public.
Nunnery said the reopening of the courthouse won’t be like flipping a switch.
“Once we open up, it’ll have to be gradual,” she said.
And some changes may have to become permanent.
“You can’t crowd people in there like we used to before,” citing prior lines of 15 customers with six people at the counter in her office.
“Even after we open up I still am going to encourage people to use the mail, to use the online services, and I will have a drop box installed in the hallway,” Nunnery said.
County administrator Tami Dangerfield said people have asked her when the multipurpose complex will be available for rental again. Currently the complex is closed.
Supervisors agreed rentals can resume as long as renters follow guidelines in the governor’s order.
In a related matter, supervisors agreed to apply for services provided by a new COVID-19 task force.
Fred Magee, representing the companies that perform the cleaning — OST Global, H&S and Pilot — said a FEMA public assistance grant will provide cleaning for all county buildings at no cost to the county. The cleaning will take place every 60 days until the pandemic is past.
The program will also reimburse the county for COVID-related expenses like the plexiglas shields, digital thermometers, extra help and overtime.
Magee also noted that churches can apply for free cleaning services by calling (866) 607-6405.
In other business, supervisors:
• Received approval from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for a storm debris chipping site on Jesse Hill Industrial Park Road.
• Received approval from MDEQ for a $50,000 household hazardous waste collection grant.
• Appointed Supervisor Robert Accardo to the South Central Mississippi Workforce Board with Bowsky as alternate.
• Reappointed Robert Vick to the Southwest Mississippi Community College board.
• Authorized the sheriff’s department to transfer a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria to the Osyka Police Department, a 2020 Crown Vic to the McComb School District and a 2009 Ford F-250 truck to the Scenic Rivers Development Alliance.
• Approved payments totaling $35,520 to Neel-Schaffer engineering for April invoices.
