Newton County is applying for a $19,000 grant from Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to hold an Amnesty Day in 2020.
The board received notice of the grant Thursday, which can be used for recycling, clean-up and other environmental projects.
“We received a grant from DEQ for $19,101. That can be used for recycling, solid waste officer, amnesty day and clean up of dump,” Board president Charles Godwin said.
The board has previously used similar grants to hold amnesty day, which allows residents to drop off hazardous materials such as motor oil, old tires and household cleaners.
County administrator Steve Seale said previous amnesty days have cost about $12,000, of which DEQ grants will cover 75 percent.
To use the grant for an amnesty day, the board will need to submit an application to MDEQ notifying them of the grant’s intended use. Once the county is approved to use the funds for amnesty day, a date will be set.
In other business, the Board of Supervisors:
●Approved a software license with Del Harris Solutions for Justice Court. The cost will be $3000 plus a $70 per month maintenance fee;
●Accepted a payment of $49,000 from Pat Harrison Water Ways to assist with drainage projects;
●Approved a proclamation for the Oct. 26 storms, which allows businesses and residents to apply for disaster assistance. E911 director Brian Taylor said Newton County saw more than $120,000 in damage from the wind and rain brought by Tropical Storm Olga;
●Approved purchasing a Microsoft Office 365 subscription for E911 for $192; and
●Approved upgrading the E911 digital time clock to add space for sheriff’s deputies. The additional accounts on the software increased the monthly fee $10 from $19.95 to $29.95 per month.
