Two local students received scholarships during the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors’ Monday meeting, bringing a bunch of smiles, along with a few pats on the back for the two recipients.

“I’m going to stand with him – he’s in my district!” laughed the Rev. Jerry Wilson of District 1 as he sidled up to Collin Burns of Brookhaven Academy for a picture.

Burns and Peyton Warren of Loyd Star each received a $500 scholarship through the Mississippi Association of Supervisors. The scholarships are open to qualifying students in each of Mississippi’s 82 counties. Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, a sponsorship, legal residence of the county and the sate, enrolled in an accrediated college or university for the fall and sign a letter of intent to do so.

Both of the young men plan to attend Mississippi State.

Diane Altman spoke to the supervisors about the marijuana opt-out position the board took back on March 30. “I can see from my property where they want to grow and I want to know what’s going to happen to the value of my property,” Altman said. “We already have such a high rate of crime. I think it’s a bad idea to [allow anything to do with medical marijuana].”

Supervisors had to explain that meetings had already occurred for the public to discuss the situation and the county had opted out in the end.

But Altman mentioned that “since so many don’t get the paper anymore,” they – including herself – didn’t understand how these grows would be protected and secured, and how she and her neighborhoods themselves, as well as their property, would be secure.

Several supervisors described to her what had been discussed during the past few months and how a new vote would be taken if pro medical marijuana advocates get all 1,500 signatures needed to trigger an election.

When she was told that it is thought that proponents had about 1,000 signatures, she said the state should have set a deadline for getting those signatures.

County Attorney Will Allen explained how the election would then decide on whether the county opted in or not. He told her that state regulations will apply to the handling of medical marijuana. It would not be up to the county to make those laws.

Doug Falvey described how Altman should tell everyone she knows how she feels so they’ll know her thoughts on the subject and vote against opting in. He also said that it was only about 20 or so patients who would be helped by use of the product, as he understood.

On another note, when Altman speculated that crime may rise, Eddie Brown added that each facility would have to provide its own security and the product would be barcoded. Sheriff Steve Rushing also took note when Nolan Williamson said “there’s no law anywhere,” by saying “actually, there are strict guidelines from my understanding.”

“Well, the town and the county I grew up with is gone; it is no more,” Altman said in the end. “It’s all about greed. Dollars.”

Constables Kelly Porter and Lavon Boyd asked the board to consider electing to pay the employment share on their retirement on the net fee income from the two men. County Administrator Daniel Calcote stepped in to say that it will soon be law that counties have to do this, so he was already working on it.

Sheriff Rushing asked the board to approve travel for Deputy Kylene Lowe to attend the annual DARE training in Biloxi and supervisors agreed.

County Engineer Ryan Holmes gave a short talk on several road projects the county has going, including on Byhalia Road and Maple Road. The paperwork needed is mainly done on the projects, including those on Emergency Road and Bridge Repair projects and the American Rescue Plan Act federal projects. It will be mid June before the county finds out how its requests rank with the government and what they can actually do afterward.

Supervisors also approved to execute a grant agreement with MDEQ for $28,096 to cover a portion of the salary for the solid waste coordinator. The county didn’t receive any portion of this grant money last year. Each year counties have to apply for the loan and there is never a guarantee which counties will be rewarded with funds.

Supervisors also approved two culverts for District 4.