By Lisa Voyles

Chickasaw Journal

OKOLONA - The Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Aug. 3 and approved the 2009-10 budget for the Chickasaw County School district. The district requested no increase in millage rates which will hold steady at 53 mills for the academic year. The 2008 levy was for $565,770.99 while the 2009 levy will cost $563,220.35.

The board set a Sept. 1 date for a public hearing on the county budget and tax levy. The hearing will take place in the Houston Courthouse beginning at 10 a.m. The county budget must be adopted by Sept. 15. The hearing is open to the public.

The board moved and approved opening the tax rolls for public inspection. Said roles are open to the public at the Courthouses in Houston and Okolona at the present time.

In other actions, the board

- Heard a presentation by Lance Cline of Naturchem for a turf regulation program to stunt grass growth along right of ways through chemical application. No action was taken on the matter.

- Heard from Road Manager Kenneth Funderburk about a road grader that is need of repair. The part needed has been quoted at $7,000 and Purchasing Clerk Tommie Morgan is currently seeking other providers and quotes on the equipment.

- Approved a lease agreement for United Furniture to forward on to the City of Okolona.

- Adopted a resolution for application for a CDBG grant to forward to the City of Houston.

- Approved payment to the Okolona Masonic Lodge for rental of the Courthouse building. The county owns the second floor and rents the first floor from the Masons. DHS reimburses the county 80 percent of the payment.

- Approved an order on GM&O rails to apply for a grant to remove crossties from the area in support of the proposed Rails to Trails project.