Mississippi News
Mississippi Board of Ed awards $3.6M to PATH
State Board of Ed awards $3.6 million contract to company with government ties
The Mississippi State Board of Education on Thursday approved a multi-million dollar contract to a company whose vice president chaired the state board until last spring.
The board voted 5-2 to approve the contract to the PATH Company to administer a loan program established by the Legislature earlier this year. The contract will pay up to $3.6 million over a four-year period, providing $1.2 million in the first year. Two members of the company's leadership have ties to state government: Senior Vice President of Business Development Jason Dean is the former chair of the State Board of Education, and Co-Founder and Principal Nathan Wells is the former chief of staff to Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn.
The Educational Facilities Revolving Loan Fund makes money available to school districts as a zero-interest loan for repairs and renovations of existing school buildings and new construction for pre-K programs or career and technical education facilities. In its first year of operation, the Legislature allocated $40 million to the revolving loan fund.
The company will be responsible for reviewing the construction plans of districts to ensure that they are “critical infrastructure improvements” and adhere to building codes, as state law requires, and for tracking the repayment of the loans.
When asked by Mississippi Today about the possible conflict of interest with Dean's employment, the Mississippi Department of Education pointed to the Public Procurement Review Board manual, which establishes that former membership to a board is only considered a conflict of interest if it has been less than one year since the former member exited the board. Dean left the board in April 2021.
Dean told Mississippi Today the contract was awarded through a public competition that numerous other construction management companies could have applied to, but did not.
“Obviously, I know people that are on the State Board of Education,” Dean told Mississippi Today. “I did not contact them and use any personal relationship at any point to influence the decision. I wanted it to be awarded to us objectively based on merits.”
Bill Jacobs, a state board member, questioned spending such a large amount for reviewing construction plans and financial record keeping, and asked why PATH Company was overseeing the loan repayment program instead of an accounting firm or similar financial entity.
Felicia Gavin, chief of operations for the Mississippi Department of Education, said the law creating the program allows no more than 3% of the funds to be spent on administrative costs, which the contract adheres to. Gavin also said that while the PATH Company was the only group to apply for this contract, the proposal met all the criteria, including their financial management abilities. On the company's website, its work is described as “help(s) entities utilize technology to create better efficiencies in the areas of energy, water, and/or operations.”
Dean added that PATH has internal financial managers, and the company stated in its proposal that it plans to bring in an additional accounting firm to assist in the financial management of the loans.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Street closings begin May 3
SUMMARY: Market Street Festival in Columbus, Mississippi will begin Friday evening with street closures in downtown area lasting until Sunday at noon. Streets will close at different times, and any vehicles not moved from blocked areas will be towed at the owner's expense. Special entrances and parking lot closures are also in effect. The festival hours are from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon. For more information, visit the festival's website or Facebook page. Contact Main Street Columbus office or Columbus Police Department for any questions. The festival aims to bring together the local community for a fun-filled weekend of events.
The post Street closings begin May 3 appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Alabama man killed in Hinds County crash
SUMMARY: An Alabama man, Curicous Palmer, was killed in a crash in Hinds County on U.S. 80 near Jones Road on April 28, just after 5:00 p.m. Palmer was driving a 2017 Ford Focus when he ran off the road and hit a tree, causing him to be ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash is currently being investigated by the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
The post Alabama man killed in Hinds County crash appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
One killed, three injured in Utica club shooting
SUMMARY: One person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting at a club in Utica, Mississippi. The incident occurred at the Sugar Shack Club just before midnight on April 28. 41-year-old Jason Harris was shot multiple times and died at the scene. Three victims were injured, with two in stable condition and one in critical condition at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. At least one person has been detained for questioning, and investigators believe the shooting was the result of an altercation involving multiple individuals. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Hinds County Sheriff's Office.
The post One killed, three injured in Utica club shooting appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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