[05/07/02]Homeowners outside the city limits will be required to sign contracts with private haulers for garbage collection under a change approved Monday by the Warren County Board of Supervisors.

In another amendment to the county’s garbage and trash collection and disposal ordinance, private haulers will be required to prove they have at least $25,000 in liability insurance coverage.

“We need to make it clear that no additional cost should come as a result of these changes,” said District 4 Supervisor Bill Lauderdale Jr.

Inside Vicksburg, residents’ garbage is picked up under a city contract and billed to homeowners on water and gas statements.

For many years, state law has also required county collection, a service provided by multiple companies who bill their customers directly.

Because the county is required to certify that all residents are having their waste collected, the contracts will provide a form of assurance. There was no discussion of the change, other than it should not add expense.

Also Monday, supervisors:

Awarded a contract for drainage improvements on Sea Island Drive at Eagle Lake to Lampkin Construction Co. of Vicksburg for $122,509. The engineer’s estimate was $149,000.

The contract calls for installation of four culverts to drain rain water from the north side of Sea Island Drive under the road and into Eagle Lake.

Agreed with Thomas and Mary Ray, owners of T’Beaux’s, 1625 Culkin Road, on the price they will be paid for the building and land they own at the junction with Mount Alban Road. The price was not disclosed.

The parcel is key to the route a new road will follow to the east side of the River Regional Medical Center complex. Negotiations with other landowners will proceed on the project being funded by a state grant. The hospital opened on Feb. 17. Its main entrance will continue to be from U.S. 61 North.

Granted a 10-year tax exemption to LeTourneau Inc. on a total of $339,092 in improvements at its construction yard on the Mississippi River where it builds offshore drill rigs.

Tax Assessor Richard Holland said the normal tax would be about $4,100 without the exemption. With the exemption, LeTourneau will pay about $2,500 in school and state taxes.

Rejected an application from AK Steel Corp. for a freeport exemption. The refusal means the company’s inventory will be taxable even if being stored for shipment out of the state.

Approved a back assessment on a piece of equipment at Vicksburg Metal Processors for 2000. The equipment, valued at $403,390, was missed in the assessment process. The company will receive a bill for $4,690.62.

Opened bids on a truck with a four-man crew compartment and a body to haul and dump chipped tree limbs and similar debris, a self-propelled paver-finisher and a four-wheel drive wheel type backhoe. The bids were taken under advisement.