NATCHEZ — An Adams County Supervisor said he wants to take a closer look at Natchez-Adams County Port operations to see if there isn’t a way to save the county money.

Supervisor Mike Lazarus said he was given a copy of the port’s claims docket for November, and two expenses stood out — $25,400 for mechanic work and approximately $23,000 for trucking services.

“I think we can hire a mechanic cheaper than that, or let them pay us to use one of our mechanics,” he said.

Lazarus said he would like to get a copy of the port’s yearly expenses before committing to a full plan, but even if the costs — for example, the trucking expenses — are seasonal, those funds might have a more efficient use.

“If they are spending that much on trucks, we can add trucks to our inventory, and when we need to use them, that is what we can do,” he said.

In other news:

-Supervisor David Carter said he wanted to issue an apology “on behalf of the board” to the residents of Adams County after the release of public school standardized testing results that showed the Natchez-Adams School District did not meet state expectations.

“I am not so much blaming the superintendent anymore,” Carter said. “The school board, they are not taking any action as far as the scores go.”

The supervisors aren’t able to take any action on the matter, Carter said.

“Unfortunately, we are hands-tied on this matter,” he said. “The test scores are bad. The people in charge are still just giving excuses why.”

-The board granted sheriff-elect Travis Patten permission to have the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics lock down the Natchez-Adams County Metro Narcotics vault for an audit in the weeks before he goes into office.

“We have been conducting inventory for the last week, and we have reached a point in the inventory where we figure it would be in our best interest to bring in the state for our next phase,” Patten said. “None of us have gone in there. We are asking permission to bring in the state and secure that vault until the audit is complete.”

-The board opened its meeting with a ceremony designating the records room in the Chancery Clerk’s office in honor of retiring clerk Tommy O’Beirne, who has served 28 years as chancery clerk and 36 years total as an elected official.

-The board voted to make a $1,000 donation to FOR (Friends of Our Riverfront) Natchez, the organization seeking to revitalize the historic corridor in Natchez through strategic zoning, planning and the redevelopment of key anchor points.

-The board opened a public hearing about a nuisance property on Morgantown Road, but Board Attorney Scott Slover said so much work has been done in the last month an adjudication process is not needed.

-The board presented Jessie Winston with a certificate of commendation on the occasion of his 105th birthday, which will be Christmas Day.

-The board presented Natchez Stewpot Director Amanda Jeansonne with a ceremonial check for $4,505.23, the amount of cash raised during the supervisor’s annual Pack the Pickup food drive last week.

-The board voted to appoint outgoing Supervisor Darryl Grennell to the Copiah-Lincoln Community College board of trustees. He will replace Thelma Newsome, whose term is ending this month.

-The board met in executive session to discuss a personnel matter, the possible sale of county property and potential litigation.