NATCHEZ — Adams County hired a new contractor for its jail roof repair project after the contractor originally hired for the project lost its certification with a roof manufacturer.

The county had previously awarded a bid to Tru Solutions of Memphis to repair the jail roof, which experts have said is a key step in addressing environmental concerns such as mold in the building, which also houses the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

The awarding of the project was based in part on Tru Solutions’ certification as a Soprema roof systems installer, architect Johnny Waycaster said.

“Since that time Soprema has rescinded that certification for Tru Solutions,” Waycaster said. “They are no longer considering Tru Solutions a certified installer, and as a result cannot provide the roof we are requiring.”

Instead, Waycaster recommended the board award the project to Mandal’s Construction of Gulfport for $168,414. The engineer’s estimate for the project was $165,000, Waycaster said.

The bid time for the project was set at 90 days, Waycaster said.

Tru Solutions was initially awarded the bid for $101,205, far lower than the other bidders.

But Waycaster later told the board the company had initially misrepresented itself as a Firestone roof system installer and was only later able to meet the bid requirements by offering itself as a certified installer of an alternative product, the Soprema line.

Though they expressed hesitation at hiring the company because of its past misrepresentation, the board kept the Tru Solutions bid because it was more than $60,000 lower than the other companies vying for the project.

In other news:

• Hardy-Anders Field Airport Director Clint Pomeroy announced he will be retiring from the airport after 40 years effective April 1. He has been airport director since 1989.

“I have really been blessed;  It has meant a lot to me,” Pomeroy said. “I was brought up well with (former director) Billy Simmons for many years. I had some great people out there working with some great customers and a great board to work with.”

The airport board has hired Bob Hawk of Brunswick, Ga., to take over as director when Pomeroy retires, he said, and Hawk will start later this month.

“He comes well-qualified, with a lot of experience in airport administration and operations,” Pomeroy said. “I think he will be an excellent choice.”

The board also voted to re-appoint Gary Holloway to the airport commission.

• The board voted to amend Tax Assessor Reynolds Atkins’ budget by approximately $46,000 annually to accommodate the hiring of Michael Pace, who Atkins said will assist him.

• The board heard from Lincoln Heights Road resident Barbara Winston, who voiced complaints about the condition of portions of Lower Woodville Road.

“We have many, many, many, many of those big sinkholes,” she said. “You have to get the front end of your car repaired because it is so dangerous. It is like driving an obstacle course.”

When the road crew repairs the road with rocks and tar, rain will just wash the patches away, Winston said, and other times the rocks will fly up from passing vehicles and damage cars on the road.

“We are not at all satisfied,” she said. “Everybody in America should be able to drive their vehicle on a public road. We are taxpaying citizens.”

• The board met in executive session to discuss the acquisition of real property and possible litigation.

Both matters were related to obtaining easements for the Deerfield Road bridge, board attorney Scott Slover said.