After opening bids to renovate a county barn in north Adams County into a fire station, county officials agreed the bids came in too high.

&uot;Even the stripped down version is higher than I anticipated it would be,&uot; said project architect Johnny Waycaster.

The county received three bids on the project which ranged from $173,941 to $238,500, not counting six alternates to the bid packages. The alternates included such items as bathroom work, cabinets, a flagpole, a sidewalk and a larger size generator.

The county had estimated $150,000 for the project.

Supervisors plan to convert the Foster Mount Road county barn — which is also a voting precinct — into a volunteer fire station. It would serve residents in districts 4 and 5.

Supervisors voted to take the bids under advisement Monday

Supervisor Lynwood Easterling said he is looking into what must be done in case residents cannot vote at the barn during the November election because the building is under construction.

In other business Monday, the board:

4Heard a report from Shirley Wheatley on the Natchez Association for the Preservation of African-American Culture museum.

4Discussed whether the county needed to replace old screens on the windows of the courthouse as part of the building’s renovation.

4Discussed whether some court room windows need to be better insulated to prevent noise from disturbing court proceedings.

4Approved travel for justice court prosecutor Barret Martin to attend the National College of District Atorneys Prosecuting Homicide Seminar, for Virginia Salmon to attend a leadership conference and for Deputy Carl Pree to attend a gun competition and training session.

4Approved allowing three chancery court reporters to destroy notes more than six years old, as is the normal procedure.

4Took care of details on sate aid road projects presented by Jim Marlow, engineer working for the board.

4Approved a subcontractor to assist with road work at the Stewart Orchids site.

4Heard an update from Civil Defense Director George Souderes on county equipment damaged by a recent lightening strike.

4Heard a report from Souderes on a plan by a group of local residents to establish a search and rescue organization for Adams County.

4Accepted the resignation of Mike Cooper to the 911 committee and replaced him with Sgt. John Stoles, who has been serving as Cooper’s alternate on the board.