Buddy Poole was a unanimous choice of Warren County supervisors Tuesday to head up the Road Department.

Poole, 53, a foreman in the 70-person road crew, succeeds Richard Winans, who retired at the end of 2011 after seven years as road manager. The 26-year department veteran was chosen following an hour of interviews in closed session. Those considered were Ricky Pennington, Bobby Sanders, Martin Dement and Ray Banks.

The department maintains roads outside Vicksburg municipal limits and operates the Kings Point Ferry across the Yazoo Diversion Canal north of the city.

Administrative pay in the Road Department is about $75,000 annually. A 3 percent pay hike across all county departments to start the fiscal year grew annual salaries for laborers and helpers to about $17,500.

On the agenda

In a Tuesday meeting, the Warren County Board of Supervisors:

• Approved hiring John Lewis Statewide Appraisal Inc. of Florence as a consultant during the county’s court battle with Ameristar Casino over property taxes.

The casino has argued the pending tax bill for the year is more than $1 million too high due to assessed values that aren’t in line with the local gaming market as a whole. More than $3.1 million in taxes are due from the company in the existing calculation.

The firm was signed for $100 an hour and must provide detailed invoices, according to an agreement signed by Board President Bill Lauderdale.

• Authorized advertising logic and accuracy testing for voting machines in preparation for the March 13 presidential primary

• Approved a $8,249.99 check to ABMB Engineers Inc. for work in clearing city bayous. Payment is contingent on reimbursements from the Mississippi Development Authority.