The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted on a resolution Monday for a loan agreement with the Bovina Fire Protection District concerning new equipment for the Bovina Fire Department.

“This is all, in the grand scheme of things, to improve fire protection in Warren County,” county fire service coordinator Jerry Briggs said.

The fire district asked for a loan of $142,983 to purchase a 2017 Freightliner Tanker Pumper. The loan will be repaid by the district through the 4-mil ad valorem tax on property located in the Bovina fire district.

“They’ll just utilize the funds they receive and pay it themselves,” board attorney Blake Teller said.

The board voted in favor of guaranteeing the district will repay of the loan. If the district lets the loan go into default, the board will make sure the millage tax money will be paid to the lender for the loan.

“The purpose of this resolution is for backup if they fail to honor that obligation,” Teller said. “The 4 mils would be rerouted to pay the loan as needed by this board.”

Trustmark National Bank submitted the lowest and best proposal and will be the lenders for the apparatus.

The fire apparatus unit costs a total of $270,873. The remainder of the cost for the apparatus will be paid by a $70,000 grant from the state and $57,890 from the Bovina fire district budget. Briggs said the Bovina district needs the new truck because of the expansion of the fire protection district and because new equipment will help keep their fire protection rating and the resident’s insurance low.

“To maintain those lower ratings you have to have a certain amount of equipment,” Briggs said.

He said in the next two years another fire station could open in the Bovina district near Flowers, which could lead to the purchase of more equipment.

“That area is starting to grow,” Briggs said.

He said the new truck would be in Bovina Friday, May 27.

The board of supervisors also took bids Monday for three different projects in the county.
The Fisher Ferry Road channel stabilization and overlay project received four bids all more than the $267,365 estimated cost. Dirtworks Inc. of Vicksburg bid $469,560.60; Unicon, Inc. of Pearl bid $459,627.90; Mims Inc. of Utica bid $396,284; and Anderson Contracting, LLC bid $318,153.58.

The Old Mississippi Highway 27 and Simmons Road bridge replacement project received two bids also over the projected cost of $451,063. Dirtworks Inc. of Vicksburg bid $558,802; and Unicon, Inc. of Pearl bid $545,181.05.

Finally, the Kings Point Ferry Boat Maintenance project received two bids, but one of the bids did not meet the requirements and was disqualified. The estimated total cost was $220,000. The lone acceptable bid came from Big River Shipbuilders, Inc. of Vicksburg for $249,725.

All bids were taken under advisement.