NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors approved orders for $194,000 worth of hardware and software equipment upgrades for county computer systems during Monday’s regularly scheduled board meeting.

The bulk of the purchase will cover new fiber cabling throughout the system to replace cables that are approximately 15 years outdated and are slowing down county computer systems, said Adams County Administrator, Joe Murray.

In addition, the county will install a brand new server for sharing files between departments, Murray said.

“We run an AS/400 server, which needed to be replaced after four or five years, and we’re going on seven years with ours,” Murray said.

The purchase also will replace old computers with newer models and purchase Windows 10 licensing for older computers that will still in use, Murray said.

New ransom ware prevention software also will combat malicious users from hacking and locking computer systems through emails and holding them hostage until a sum of money is paid, he said.

Earlier this year, Murray said the computers at the Adams County Juvenile Detention Center were hit by ransom ware, and Marray said such emails are getting more and more difficult to detect.

“Sometimes they’ll use actual emails that you recognize, and someone might open it thinking its safe,” Murray said. “It’s the biggest virus going around right now. … They hit the juvenile facility, but luckily we caught it early, and we immediately shut everything down and dealt with it. Insurance paid for most of it, about $9,600 worth of repairs, but it cost us a lot of time.”

In other matters during the Adams County Board of Supervisors meeting Monday, the board:

•  Unanimously approved a resolution of appreciation for the former Copiah Lincoln Community College Vice President, Teresa Busby, who resigned from the school last week.
• Postponed a public hearing concerning a proposed ordinance that would require utility companies and other entities to pick up and dispose of tree limbs on county streets after cutting them. Supervisors said the hearing would be postponed for six months to allow Southwest Electric and Entergy time to review the ordinance.
• Addressed concerns from county residents regarding repairs needed on Lower Woodville and Lincoln Heights roads. District 2 Supervisor, David Carter said the county has put excessive amounts of money into Lower Woodville, which is the more heavily traveled road of the two.

However, Carter said, a large part of the road still needs to be repaved. Carter said funds would continue to be allocated for the repaving of the road, as the funds are available.

•  Entered into executive session to discuss an employee health issue, potential litigation concerning YMCA fees and Quitman Road and rights of way on Morgantown Road.