The Lincoln County board of Supervisors voted Monday to have a bid packet made for the proposed Lincoln County youth baseball facility. The plan will be a more detailed investigation of what exactly is being done and how much the project will cost.

Previous engineering estimates put the complex at around $2.5 million.

” We are going to make sure we are under that number,” said Ryan Holmes, principal engineer with Dungan Engineering. “We won’t design something that will go over.”

The Baseball Complex Facility Marketing Team, a local group that proposed the new complex to the supervisors, is also currently seeking grant options, but there are contingencies on the commitment from the county. Currently, grant funding is not part of the cost discussion for construction.

“We are stuck in the middle,” said Eddie Brown, District 4 supervisor and board president, noting the supervisors are seeking more information and input. “There’s people for it and people against it. People always have the option to petition the board.”

Other items addressed at the meeting:

• The Lincoln Civic Center will be renovating the arena. The board approved their request to begin construction plans with the Pearl River Basin Development District.

“We want to better facilitate the equine and bovine events in southwest Mississippi,” said Quinn Jordan, civic center facility manager. “When they come to the arena, they purchase fuel, food and lodging which has a huge economic impact in Lincoln county.”

The funds used to renovate the arena are in escrow and were generated from events hosted by the civic center. The project will cost roughly $100,000; half will be funded by the development district and half by the Lincoln Civic Center. No tax dollars will be used.

Jordan says they hope to begin the project late fall to prepare for 2015 events. There will be no events in September and November with a few previously scheduled exceptions.

• The supervisors approved the second phase of the drainage improvement construction for the Lincoln Civic Center. The estimated construction cost of the project is $60,116. The Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission is paying for 65 percent of the project and the Civic Center will be matching with approximately $32,000. No money will be provided by Lincoln County.

• The supervisors voted to allow investigation of possible wetland damage that would be caused by the construction of building a bridge on Big Creek Drive.

• They discussed the previous renewal of the Wastepro three-year contract, which expires next year. A few members felt uneasy about renewing the contract before the previous one expired, but there was no re-vote.

• They approved a $1.9 million application for tax exemption for Rex Lumber Co.

• Homestead exemption for approximately 20 recently widowed spouses was granted.

• A $1,687.50 invoice was presented for the Holland and Rigby redistricting project. The services for redistricting are presented monthly.

• They board accepted a bid of $43,314 for a new suburban to replace the county van.

• Two lease agreements were approved.

• The supervisors approved an inmate canteen phone system agreement for the sheriff’s department.