The Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerk position is now filled until the Nov. 7 election.
Angela McGinnis was selected to serve as interim circuit clerk by a 4 to 1 vote of the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors.
District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard voted against, citing recent health problems McGinnis has dealt with. McGinnis served as circuit clerk for 16 years, starting in 1995. She will not seek re-election.
“We hired her because of her knowledge, because of her know-how, because of her experience, not necessarily because of her ability to do hands-on type work, but her ability to direct others,” said District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams.
McGinnis replaces Glenn Hamilton, who retired last week after pleading guilty to charges stemming from an incident last year in Clay County, where he was found trespassing on private land in possession of methamphetamine and Native American artifacts.
The board also unanimously approved the sole bid for a little more than three miles of resurfacing on South Montgomery Street, running south from newly laid asphalt near the Country Club Heights subdivision to the end of the street. The bid is from Falcon Contracting in the amount of $518,908.70. It will be paid for with District 4 Road Bond funds.
District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller told the SDN the county was working with the city of Starkville on the project, with the project stretching into city limits.
"When we did the road bond, Alderman (David) Little asked if I would consider going into the city limits," Miller said.
Once underway, the project will take approximately two weeks. Miller apologized for any inconveniences the work might cause residents.
“I'm very appreciative of her help in getting that small portion of the road paved,” Little said. “Us in the city also live in the county.”
Little added that repairs were much-needed on that stretch of South Montgomery.
Newly hired road manager Hal Baggett also met with his staff for the first time during the meeting. The board voted 3 to 2 to pay Baggett a salary of $80,000 a year, with Willaims and District 2 Supervisor Marvell Howard opposed. The board also unanimously approved increasing County Manager Emily Garrard’s salary by $1,000 a month for her service as interim road manager in the time between Victor Collins’ retirement and Baggett’s hire.