NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors moved Monday to enter into an agreement that will help pay off the remainder of the public debt for the T-dock in the Natchez-Adams County Port.

The board voted to approve a $300,000 annual lease with Genesis Energy for the use of the southern end of the T-dock.

Genesis has constructed at no cost to the county a liquid loading dock on the southern end of the T-dock, and the lease will grant the company exclusive rights to it, Board Attorney Scott Slover said.

If Genesis defaults on its lease, the liquid loading dock will come under the county’s control, he said.

“We already have one liquid loading dock, and this one will substantially free that one up,” Slover said.

When approving the lease, the supervisors said they would agree to it if the port authority would remit the funds to help pay the bond on the dock.

“The taxpayers of Adams County paid for that T-dock, and now there is an opportunity where revenues are coming in, so the taxpayers should reap the benefits of that revenue coming in,” Board President Darryl Grennell said.

Payoff on 1997-issued bond for the T-dock is approximately $2.222 million, County Administrator Joe Murray said. The original bond was for $3 million.

Supervisor Mike Lazarus said the port was obligated to pay the dock bond back but had never been forced to before because it didn’t have the funds.

Slover said outside the portion of funds needed for the upkeep of the dock, the profits from the lease should be sent to the county.

“Part of the original agreement (for the T-dock) is we can prevent them from expending any money until that amount is paid back,” he said.

“We can send them a letter saying we plan to exercise that benefit.”

The port commission is appointed by the board of supervisors but otherwise operates as an independent entity.

In other news:

-The board received bids for the lease of the Belwood property, the former country club the county has owned for 19 years and marketed as an industrial property.

Dozer LLC submitted the apparent high bid for one year at a rate of $75 per acre based on 200 acres — a total of $15,000. The bid also expressed interest in renewing the lease for an additional three years at that price.

The bid requirements included that whoever is awarded the lease will have to level the area and maintain the grass.

-The board adopted a resolution seeking to extend the legislation that allows Natchez Inc. to exist by another five years.

The resolution was adopted at the request of Natchez Inc. Chair Sue Stedman, who said the legislation is due to expire in 2016. It would likewise require the support of the City of Natchez.

Natchez Inc. is the economic development body for Adams County. It is a public-private partnership between Adams County, the City of Natchez and Natchez Now, a private-sector funding group composed of local business leaders.

Under the current agreement, Adams County provides Natchez Inc. with $165,000 annually, while the city gives $100,000.

-Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ asked the board to pick three nominees for the Southwest Mississippi Railroad Authority. Three of Adams County’s five representatives on the authority’s 23- member board have resigned, he said.

The railroad authority was formed in 2011 as a stopgap measure to ensure rail service remains available in Southwest Mississippi even if the owners of the rail line decide to abandon the line.

-Local activist Jeremy Houston spoke before the board about ballot initiative 48, an effort to legalize cannabis and industrial hemp in Mississippi.

Houston asked the board to consider taking an official stance, but said he understood if the members needed to think about it first.

Grennell said he had no problem with the use of industrial hemp and had made some soap using hemp oil last weekend.

Supervisor David Carter said he was not educated enough on the issue to take a stance on industrial hemp.

“I am sure it will happen one day, but as far as the legalization of marijuana, I am a ‘No,’” Carter said.

Other members on the board did not express an opinion, and the board did not take a stance as a body.

-The supervisors voted to lift a county-wide burn ban issued last month.

Adams County Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford advised the action, saying the area has received enough rain and grass and clover are starting to grow in, which will hamper any fires.