County approves bid packages for Rescue Act purchases

Bid packages for hospital medical equipment and a new public facilities building were approved for advertisement when the Holmes County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Jan. 18.

The procurement paperwork for each item were completed by Liberty Partners, LLC, when the final rule on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending came down from Washington D.C. Doctors Memorial Hospital will receive over $400,000 in equipment with ARPA funding earmarked by the county in August of 2021. Medicinal storage and the software that comes with it will allow DMH the ability to store medicines and vaccines in a temperature-controlled environment.  

Building a new facility on the site of the Agricultural Center is on the list for ARPA funds along with funds from legislative appropriation should they be granted. The plans for the facility include new offices for Uf/IFAS and a building to replace the existing agricultural center.

The county will soon enter litigation with the new owners of the boat ramp at Dogwood Lakes. The original owner had a verbal agreement with the county to sell to them at a price of $10,000 with the intention that the public would still enjoy use of the ramp. The current owners are heirs to the original owner and have opted not to honor the agreement and have countered with a $50,000. The county has chosen to take the matter before a judge.

In other items, the board recognized employees of the month for December and January. Grace Palmer works at the building department and Shawnda Langford works at the library. The board thanked both for a job well done.

The Holmes County Board of County Commissioners will meet again in regular session at 6 p.m. on Feb. 15.