An ordinance banning the use, purchase, possession, distribution, and sale of Kratom within the county was introduced by the Newton County Board of Supervisors during their regularly called meeting on Aug. 4. The move comes a month after the board discussed the need to ban the sale of the supplement, which can be found in a number of stores within the county, citing a July report from the Mississippi State Department of Health that stated the Mississippi Poison Control Center had received 21 kratom exposure related calls since the beginning of 2025. If passed, Newton County would become the 13th county in the state to ban kratom and joins 28 municipalities that have also banned the product.
On July 1, Mississippi House bill 1077 went into effect, restricting the sale of kratom products to individuals under the age of 21.
Prior to introducing the written ordinance during the open meeting, Beat 4 Supervisor Charles Godwin said that he was contacted by a representative of the Rural Claimant Coalition, who were concerned that the board was going to outright ban Kratom.
Click on Title To Read Document
“They would like to see us ban synthetic kratom, not pure kratom,” said Godwin. “I asked him what the difference between the two were, and he said that the strength of kratom was just like marijuana, while synthetic kratom can be enhanced seven times as powerful as natural marijuana.”
Regarding the information from the representative, Godwin said he saw no reason to be ‘splitting hairs’ on the situation. He added that since they talked about the number of kratom exposure calls that the state poison control center received so far this year, he learned that a facility in Newton County had two individuals admitted after using kratom.
“It’s a dangerous problem and I’m convinced that we don’t need it in Newton County,” said Godwin. “There may be a lot of people that think they need it, but I would love to see it banned, use, sale, and purchase, in Newton County.”
The proposed ordinance can be viewed at the Chancery Clerk’s office at the Newton County Courthouse and in our online article at NewtonCountyAppeal.com. The board will hold a vote on the ordinance during their regularly called meeting on September 2.
In other news from the meeting:
-Approved holding a Budget Hearing on Thursday, Aug. 21, beginning at 9 a.m.
-Approve opening the Equalization Hearing.
-In an update from Logan Tadlock, engineer with Chas N. Clark Associates, the bridge at Hickory Fellowship project is nearly finalized and a final inspection would have to be administered by the state aid engineer; the road is open on Pine Ridge Road, they’re just hoping to get more grass seed sprayed out there; the bridge is in place on Cedar Lane Road, the paving is complete and they hope to get the striping done by that week; they are waiting for a U.S. Corps Engineer permit for the bridge project at Griffis Fountain Road, and once they receive it, they’ll set a bid date; and they are going to set a bid date for the bridge project at Newton Bethel Road.
-Tadlock shared that there will be a bump in SAP funding in 2026 and asked the board to be looking at what roads needed work next summer and they could have it all on paper.
-Approved swapping funds from state aid to ERBR for the Griffis Fountain Bridge project.
-Approved 16th Section Leases for Justin Freeman (Union Public School District) and Belinda Connor (Newton County School District).
-Approved voiding a $28 check to Microsoft
-Approved an order to renew the contract for J.D. Russell, who does the data entry for appraisals at a cost of $13,000.
-Approved travel for fire coordinator/EMS director Kaleb Rice to attend a mandatory fire coordinator meeting in Rankin County,
- Delinquent Justice Court funds for June 21-July 20 were $1,527 collected. American Municipals collected $2,334 for the same period. 303 new cases were opened with fines in the amount of $95,862 levied. $2,767 was collected from those cases. There were 3 dismissals for the period.
-They have veterinary certificates for Beats 2 and 3 burying cows and horses at properties located on George Road, Hudson Chapel Road, and Ricks Road. The animals were buried due to possible infectious or contagious disease.
-Approved an order to appoint Shani Hay as Assistant Receiving Clerk for the Extension Office.
-Approved amending an order to surplus and sell a Beat 1 dump truck and instead transfer the truck to Beat 2 for $90,000.
-Heard from Emma Croom, who express frustration that Newton Calhoun Road continues having severe drainage issues, including shallow ditches inserting small culverts. She asserted that the ditch at the heart of the issues had not been properly cleaned since she moved to the location in 1982. Beat 4 Supervisor Charles Godwin suggested that they would schedule a time for the entire board to come to the location and see the issues and come up with a plan. Board President Aaron Clark told Croom that they would call her before coming out to look at the issue.
-Approved closing the Equalization Hearing.
-Approved the July 7 board minutes.
-Approved the docket.
