The Lincoln County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of a new Case backhoe at Monday’s board meeting.

County administrator David Fields presented the board with four backhoe prices and each brand’s equipment specifications under the requisition of District 5 Supervisor Doug Falvey.

“I got four bids in for Doug on a backhoe,” Fields said. “The lowest bid price was for Case. They are a little under expectations to the specifications we outlined, but they are giving a guaranteed buy back on the backhoe.”

District 3 Supervisor Nolan Williamson said he preferred a Case, while District 4 Supervisor Eddie Brown and Falvey said they would rather have a John Deere.

“I can’t justify the John Deere,” Falvey said. “It’s $9,000 more. I would rather have a John Deere because they are local, but I don’t know that we could justify the $9,000 difference.”

Although the Case backhoe did not meet the board’s horsepower and hydraulics specifications, it approved the purchase at $86,441 because of its cheaper price tag. Brown abstained from voting on the purchase.

The board also approved to finance the backhoe with Hancock Bank for 48 months at an interest rate of 1.8 percent.

In other board business:

• Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop informed the board that Rex Lumber submitted its ad valorem tax exemption application for $1,700,000. Board attorney Bob Allen is reviewing the application and will bring it before the board at the next meeting, Bishop said.

• The board approved the Department of Revenue – Homestead Division’s six chargebacks for Lincoln County in 2015.

• Emergency Management Director Clifford Galey informed the board that FEMA and MEMA will give a presentation at the court house at 1:30 p.m. today, regarding storm damage funding.