NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors adopted Wednesday a resolution that will allow the county to refinance its debt to the tune of $900,000 less in interest payments over 10 years.

The 25-year, 2003 series municipal bond, which includes the county’s debt — among other things — on the Adams County Juvenile Justice Facility and improvements at the Natchez-Adams County Port, is set to mature in 2024, with the county making nine more payments on the remaining $3,235,000 in principal.

While the first 15 years of the bond were set at a 2-percent interest rate, the last 10 were set to accrue interest at 5 percent.

With refinancing, the board was able to get the last 10 years at a 2-percent interest rate.

Board attorney Scott Slover said the refinancing only affects the amount of interest the county will pay and will not extend the payment period for the bond, which is on track to be paid off on time.

In other news:

4Sheriff Travis Patten told the board he would meet with County Road Manager Robbie Dollar to come to a solution on how to enforce illegal dump site cleanups.

At one time the county had hired a code enforcement officer, but eventually handed the program off to the sheriff’s office, including the $27,000 in salary to fund it.

Under the previous sheriff’s administration, a major within the department would handle the paperwork for reimbursement from the Mississippi Department of Quality for dumpsite cleanup. A road department employee would compile all the information for the officer.

Supervisors’ President Mike Lazarus said he understands Patten doesn’t want to continue the program that way.

“We just need to figure out which way we are going to go,” Lazarus said.

Dollar said the program needs someone with a badge to be able to walk up to residents who might have an illegal dumpsite or other code issue.

“I don’t have any authority to approach these people,” he said.

Patten said he hadn’t come to Wednesday’s meeting prepared for the code enforcement discussion, but agreed to meet with Dollar to find a solution.

4The board voted to give Lazarus the authority to meet with insurance agent Randy Hazlip and negotiate a new health insurance plan for the county’s employees.

The authority came with the caveat that the proposal would not exceed a $2 million cap. The expected cost of Hazlip’s proposal was $1.67 million.

4The board gave its approval to a move by Patten to join a five-county regional Crime Stoppers program that will include Adams, Franklin, Claiborne, Jefferson and Wilkinson counties.

“We know that their criminals sometimes come here, and our criminals sometimes go there,” Patten said. “This will give us access to more funding without having to provide a match.”