Quitman County Board of Supervisors Meets April 6 at Marks Courthouse

The five elected supervisors who control every road graded, every bridge bid awarded, and every dollar in Quitman County's budget will hold their next regular public meeting Monday, April 6, at the Quitman County Courthouse, 220 Chestnut Street in Marks. The meeting is open to the public, and residents who want to speak, submit written materials, or simply track how their county is being run have until then to prepare.

The Board of Supervisors is the county's chief governing body, holding statutory authority over road maintenance and construction, county contracting and procurement, budget appropriations, grant applications, and personnel decisions for county offices. In a rural county like Quitman, where the courthouse in Marks functions as the physical and administrative center of county government, that authority is not abstract. When a gravel road needs resurfacing in one of the five supervisory districts, a supervisor brings it to the board. When the county needs to accept a FEMA award or apply for state disaster assistance, the board votes. When a construction firm submits a bid on a bridge project, the board opens and awards it publicly.

The April 6 meeting will draw not just the five supervisors but the full machinery of county government. County Administrator and Comptroller Beatrice Pryor, who manages day-to-day county operations and financial records, regularly participates in board sessions. Chancery Clerk T.H. (Butch) Scipper maintains the official record of all board actions, including minutes, orders, contracts, and filings, and his office is the first stop for residents seeking past board decisions or wanting to submit written comments ahead of a meeting. Circuit Clerk Teareathrea Keeler and department heads from roads, public safety, and other county offices commonly appear when agenda items touch their work.

Every board meeting begins with approval of minutes and claims, the routine bookkeeping that authorizes payment of county bills. From there, road and bridge updates typically dominate: grading schedules, resurfacing requests, and bids for construction work move through the board at nearly every session. Personnel matters, property and tax questions, and any pending ordinance or public hearing fill out the rest of a standard agenda. With Quitman County having been active on infrastructure and disaster recovery work over the past year, the April 6 session is likely to include updates or votes on road and bridge projects, potential contract awards, and grant applications tied to federal or state programs. Contractors and vendors with open bids should track the posted schedule closely, since bid openings and procurement authorizations are formalized at board meetings.

Getting a matter before the board before April 6 requires contacting county staff in advance. Residents and organizations that want an item formally placed on the agenda should reach out to Pryor's office, which coordinates agenda preparation with supervisors. Written materials, letters, or petitions intended for the official record should go to Scipper's office, which archives all formal submissions. The courthouse main line is 662-326-2661. Showing up at 220 Chestnut Street on the morning of April 6 and requesting to speak during public comment is also an option for residents who want to address the board directly without advance agenda placement.

Quitman County is divided into five supervisory districts, each represented by one elected supervisor. Residents who are uncertain which district they live in, or who want to contact their specific supervisor before the April 6 meeting, can call the courthouse or consult the county's official government directory online for office contact details.

The decisions made at 220 Chestnut Street on April 6 will shape which county roads get graded this spring, which contractors get awarded work on aging bridges, and how Quitman County positions itself for the next round of federal recovery funding. For a county where the condition of a single rural road can determine whether a family farm stays accessible or gets cut off after a hard rain, those votes land close to home.

Residents who cannot attend in person may contact Scipper's office after the meeting for official minutes, or inquire with the clerk whether any alternative access will be available for that session. The board's full spring schedule is posted on the county's events page, giving residents, nonprofit partners, and local businesses enough lead time to prepare written materials or arrange attendance before each session comes to order.