The Warren County Board of Supervisors discussed four main points at length Monday in a two-hour informal meeting at the board’s office in preparation for next week’s scheduled board meeting.

Brian Robbins and John McKee of Stantec discussed options for a Kings Point access road. Kings Point is an Island that currently is accessible by ferry. The board is looking to alleviate use of the ferry and is considering the option of an access road to allow for a better, less expensive entrance.

“The discussion is basically options to replace the ferry that is costing us quite a bit every year,” board president Bill Lauderdale said.

Right now, the board is only in the discussion stages of the project and are not looking for bids because they are not sure a road will be constructed. They want to consider their options before committing to the project at this point.

High-end early estimates of the total expense of the road are $10.4 million. They have requested for Stantec to look for ways to reduce that estimate as much as possible.

“They are going to go back and look at some more cost cutting things is what the board asked them to do,” Lauderdale said. “After looking at this estimate they brought up they are going to go back and look at some areas in this that may reduce that. Hopefully, by a good bit, but we don’t know that.”

Next John Elfer, Warren County emergency management director, visited the boardroom to discuss the interlocal agreement with the city to join the state radio system. A contract has been in the works with Motorola to split expenses with the city to covert radio towers the county and city use to the Mississippi Wireless Information Network, MSWIN, system.

The new agreement allows city and county officials to communicate with the Mississippi Highway Patrol and other outside agencies over call radios. The county is contracted to pay $3.4 million while the city will be billed $2.9 million for the tower conversion project.

“We’ve got to sign a communications systems agreement with Motorola, and we’re basically locking in that that’s our share,” county administrator John Smith said.

The third point on the agenda was yearly biding on city expenses with director of purchasing for Warren County Tonga Vinson. Bids were opened at the board meeting two weeks ago, and Monday Vinson made recommendations and discussed the specifics of certain bids with the board.

Concrete and plastic pipe costs have gone up this year while asphalt costs have dropped. Some board members wanted to keep the current contract holder on grass, but others were concerned with insurance and other deficiencies in this year’s bid, which has them considering new bidders even if their price point was higher.

The final point of discussion Monday was given by county fire coordinator Jerry Briggs who informed the board they would soon be receiving letters requesting they expand the Bovina, Fisher Ferry and Culkin fire district coverage areas. Certain areas on the outside of the district are requesting to join meaning they will pay a little more in taxes to support the district so that they can save on their homeowners insurance premiums and secure fire protection.

These points will be brought up again, and some voted on, at next week’s board meeting Monday, Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. at the Warren County Courthouse.