Commission presents awards for service to outgoing Commissioners William Johnson and Donald Means. Pictured L-R are Commissioners Tennyson Smith and William Underwood, Johnson, Means and Commissioner Marvin Childs.

Following a lengthy discussion, the Greene County Commission approved a motion to close the county landfill.

The motion passed by the commission was that the landfill would be closed. Some arrangements will be made to dispose of waste from individuals who previously went to the landfill.

Commissioner William Johnson advised the commissioners that letters had been sent to all the companies using the landfill. However, no reply had been received.

The commission also established a fee which the City of Eutaw would pay for the county jail to house city prisoners. The fee will be $30 per day, with the commission getting 1/2 the money and the Sheriff’s Department receiving the other half.

This will apply to inmates jailed for misdemeanor offenses. Payment for those jailed for felonies will be the responsibility of the state. This payment schedule will last for a period of three years.

Action on acquiring computer software to keep track of sex offenders was tabled until input from the sheriff could be obtained. This software, accoding to to County Attorney Prince Chestnut, must be able to work with the software in other states to efficiently keep track of sex offenders. Payment for this was to have come from the state Attorney General.

Unfortunately, the county may have missed the deadline to be able to get this funding. Chestnut advised them that when one jurisdiction did not take advantage of the fund, other jurisdictions can. This would mean that the money would have to come from the sherff’s budget.

In other business, the commission:

*Approved the financial report submitted by County Administrator Mattie Atkins. This report showed the county had a cash or cash equivalency balance of $1,138,720.59.

*Approved claims in the amount of $308,120.45 for four payroll periods.

*Approved the appointment by Commissioner Donald Means of Charles Robinson to the Greene County Hospital Board. Conmissioner Marvin Childs protested this appointment, saying that this would be Means’ last meeting as a commissioner and the new commissioner should be allowed to make the appointment. Means refused to comply with his request.

There were two other appointments to be made. However, Commissioner William Johnson said his appointee had backed out at the last minute and he did not have a replacement.

Commissioner Tennyson Smith asked that this appointment and his appointment be tabled until the next meeting of the commission.

*Discussed the request by the City of Eutaw for the use of the county track-hoe and operator to help demolish the swimming pool on Highway 43. This was tabled until the city could provide the county with a letter stipulating when and how long the equipment and operator would be needed.

*Approved the bids recommended by the County Engineer for necessary material for the Highway Department.

Following the conclusion of the agenda, a presentation was made to the two out-going commissioner, Johnson and Means, both of whom had been in office for 12 years.

Johnson made a short speech in which he spoke of the progress made by the county during the past 12 years.

He spoke of the job facing the commission when he was first elected, and the county was in bankruptcy. He credited the advent of elecronic bingo helping the county Highway Department to acquire all new equipment. He also warned the incoming commission that the budget passed by this commission for 2010/2011 would have to be cut by 13% due to the closure of electronic bingo at Greenetrack.

Means told the commission that he had enjoyed serving the people of Greene County and felt that the commission had made an impact on the county for the better.

During public comment, Lester Brown told Johnson, “Despite all the ups and downs you were always out front and honest. I know that in your heart, you had the interests of the county at heart.”