By REVIS BLAYLOCK
NEA Town Courier
Mississippi County Justices elected committee chairmen at a Friday afternoon meeting. Justices welcomed two new members to the Quorum Court, Drake Brown and Melinda Martin.
Justices were elected to serve as committee chairs for 2023 year.
Justice Harbans Mangat will serve as chair for the Personnel Committee. Members include Justices Tobye McClanahan, Betty Hepler, Drake Brown and Cecil McDonald
Michael White was re-elected to chair the Finance Committee. Committee members are Justices McDonald, Molly Jackson, Mangat, Neil Burge and Brown.
Justice Burge was voted to chair the Fire, Police and Safety Committee. Committee members are Justices McClanahan, Hepler, Martin, Jackson and Mangat.
Justice Jackson was elected to serve as chair for the Energy & Property Committee. Committee members are Justices Martin, Hepler, Rick Ash, Brown and Michael White.
Justice McClanahan was elected to chair the Sanitation & Solid Waste Committee. Committee members are Justices White, Martin, Mangat, Reggie Cullom and Jackson.
Justice Ash was elected to chair the Roads & Bridges Committee. Committee members are Justices Burge, Hepler, White, Martin and Jackson.
Justice White was chosen to chair the Planning & Development Committee. Members are Justices McDonald, Ash, Cullom and Burge.
Justice Cullom will again chair the Insurance Committee. Members include Justices Hepler, White, Ash, Mangat and Brown.
Justice McDonald will chair the Efficiency Committee. Members are Justices Burge, Hepler, Ash and Cullom.
Justice McClanahan will chair the Social Services Committee. Committee members are Justices Martin, McDonald, Ash, and Brown.
Justice Jackson was re-elected to serve as chair for the American Rescue Plan. Committee members are Justices Cullom, Mangat, McDonald and McClanahan.
All of the committee chairs will make up the Emergency Committee.
Following the chair nominations and election, Justice Jackson gave an update on the health unit renovations on the Blytheville and Osceola facilities. She said she had met with the architect and they had come up with a list that hopefully will put the project back within the budget.
Justice White said the Blytheville Courthouse should have the last items completed in a few weeks. He said Judge Dan Ritchey had sent out a letter about opening the courtroom next week.
Justices discussed looking into a contract with a cleaning service. Justice Ash said it would be good to have the employee janitors on hand through the week to make sure trash is carried out and picked-up with a cleaning service to come in on weekends to do the deep cleaning.
Justice White asked where they are on the work on the Osceola Courthouse. Justice Ash suggested the committee tour the annex building and the Osceola Courthouse to get a list of needs and move forward on getting the work done.