Lincoln County officials are expecting to receive over $13,000from the state as reimbursement for the April 17 flag vote, CircuitClerk Terry Case Watkins told supervisors Monday.

Lincoln County officials are expecting to receive over $13,000from the state as reimbursement for the April 17 flag vote, CircuitClerk Terry Case Watkins told supervisors Monday.

Counties are facing a June 15 deadline for submitting theircosts for the election that saw voters overwhelming choose to keepthe current flag design. Lawmakers have set aside $1 million forreimbursing counties.

Lincoln County’s election costs were $13,290.

In a letter to circuit clerks, Secretary of State Eric Clarksaid counties probably would not be reimbursed the full amounts.Since then, however, Watkins said she had spoken with stateelection officials who indicated otherwise.

“The last thing I was told is we probably would be getting allof it back,” Watkins said.

In the flag election, Lincoln County voted by a 3-1 margin tokeep the 1894 flag with its Confederate emblem instead of a newflag design that featured 20 stars to symbolize Mississippi’sadmission as the 20th state to the union. Some had complained thatthe Confederate emblem is a reminder of slavery and oppression.

County officials were glad to hear the reimbursement news.

“You don’t expect to get money back from the state for mandatedissues,” said Tillmon Bishop, county administrator, “but when youdo get it, it’s a positive thing for taxpayers.”

In other financial matters, supervisors are finalizing plans fora trip to Washington later this month to meet with the state’scongressional delegation regarding funding for some countyprojects. Board members, Bishop and County Engineer Carl Ray Furrare expected to meet with U.S. Sens. Trent Lott and Thad Cochranand 4th District Rep. Ronnie Shows during the June 22-26 trip.

“We’re going to be talking about a number of issues, one ofwhich will be funding for industrial park property,” Bishop said,adding that officials will also discuss possible federal funds forlocal road systems.

Trips by Furr and Brookhaven officials have been successful insecuring funding for Whitworth College improvements and a proposedintermodal transportation center.

One difference now, though, is that the state’s Republicansenators are no longer in the majority. Bishop was optimistic thatLott’s and Cochran’s seniority would still be able to help thecounty.

“I don’t think that’s going to have a lot of impact on whatwe’re asking for,” Bishop said about the Senate power shift.

Following Monday’s meeting, Bishop and supervisors left for thecoast to attend the annual Mississippi Association of Supervisorsconventions. The convention is going on the rest of this week.