NATCHEZ — Adams County Supervisor Henry Watts wanted to clear the air Thursday evening.

Watts said he was unsure if a conversation that took place during executive session at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting qualified for executive session and, therefore, wanted to bring up the matter in a public meeting.

The discussion Watts mentioned was one about an emergency order requested by Supervisor Mike Lazarus and Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield to restrict some traffic from crossing “levee road known as Robins Lake Road in District 1 of Adams County,” the order states.

The order was signed by Justice Court Judge Charles Vess Monday.

The order stopped all commercial traffic and heavy trucks on the road for a 24-hour period ending at 3 p.m. Tuesday, pending the outcome of a hearing at 4 p.m. that day.

Lazarus said Thursday he requested the order after concerns about the stability of the road were brought to his attention.

Robins Lake overflowed its dam Aug. 19 and flooded approximately 80 yards of the road. The road had to be closed because of that flooding.

The road was reopened to traffic following a 4-1 vote by the board to not continue the emergency order. The vote happened during executive session of Tuesday’s board meeting.

Lazarus said Thursday that logger Roy Beech threatened to sue the board during executive session Tuesday if the road was not reopened.

Lazarus said he didn’t feel the action would cause a huge inconvenience since Monday was a holiday.

“I called Roy Beech twice on his cell phone (Monday) and he wouldn’t answer,” Lazarus said. “I left him a detailed message.”

Watts said he was concerned that Lazarus acted without contacting other members of the board.

“What you should have done is get in touch with (other members of the board,)” he said.

Lazarus said he was acting on information received from County Engineer Jim Marlow that the road was not safe for heavy loads.

“I felt like the dam was in danger,” Lazarus said. “If I think someone’s life is in danger, I’m going to do what I can.”

Watts said since the order closed traffic for private individuals using the road to do work for other private individuals, it was inappropriate for Lazarus to step in as if he was acting on behalf of the board.

Lazarus said he acted quickly because he felt there was immediate danger.

“I may have made a mistake, but I acted on instinct,” he said.