NATCHEZ &045; A representative of Johns Manville was at Monday’s supervisors meeting to request a decrease in the amount of taxes the company pays on land and facilities at its closed Natchez plant.

Ryan Bridges of Ryan & Co., the firm that represents Johns Manville in such matters, said an appraiser estimated the property’s value at $2.4 million two years ago.

At that time, it was also estimated that it would take four years from that date to find a buyer for the building, by which time the property’s value would have depreciated to $1.7 million, Bridges said.

By that schedule, the facility should be worth only $2.049 million, and the county’s tax rolls value it at $3.8 million.

Tax Assessor Reynolds Atkins said he might believe the $2.049 million figure &uot;as salvage value. But as long as the property is still for sale, it sounds like it’s still good for something.&uot;

The plant closed in September 2002, leaving 138 people out of work. Since that time, the company &uot;has had people come through, but there’s been no acceptable offer&uot; for the plant, Bridges said.

Atkins said he would take Bridges’ presentation under consideration. But similar tax requests Johns Manville has made since its Natchez plant closed have been turned down by the county.

Also in Monday’s meeting, supervisors:

4Passed resolutions commemorating the life of John Lee, an Economic Development Authority board

member who died Wednesday of cancer.

They also passed resolutions commending the service of Dr. Rudolph Waters, Wiley Jones and Dr. Malvin Williams, all of whom are retiring from Alcorn State University.

4Accepted bids for 26.31 acres of land on Foster Mound Road. The highest of five bids was an offer of $32,100 for land only ($62,000 including timber) from Mistletoe Properties. The bids were taken under advisement.

4Voted to increase the budget for custody of prisoners by $3,000 for jail supplies (toiletries, cleaning supplies and the like) and $2,500 for medical supplies for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30.

4Voted to hire someone to obtain rights-of-way for erosion control projects on Magnolia Bluff Road, Sage Circle, Cloverdale Road, Greenwood Subdivision Road and the Robin’s Lake Road spillway.