NATCHEZ — On Friday, the Natchez-Adams School District superintendent and the president of the Adams County Board of Supervisors both said they are open to a discussion that leads to the rehiring of crossing guards at Morgantown Elementary.

The guards, formerly employed by the county, were dismissed from duty on Oct. 1.

Board President Henry Watts said the decision to dismiss the crossing guards was made during their budget meeting.

“We were looking for areas to save money,” Watts said.

Watts said the decision to dismiss the guards was agreed on by all of the supervisors.

However, Supervisor Darryl Grennell said he was not at the meeting when that vote took place.

Superintendent Anthony Morris said the guards made approximately $5,000 to $7,000 a year combined.

Watts said the reasoning behind the decision was that it seemed logical for the district to pay the guards since the district was getting the benefit of having guards.

“We felt that it was a function and duty of the school system,” Watts said. “It benefits the school system.”

While the supervisors expressed a desire for the district to take over the guard’s compensation, the district cannot legally pay the guards.

School board attorney Bruce Kuehnle said a recent opinion issued by the state attorney general would prohibit the district from hiring employees to work on county thoroughfares.

Watts said the supervisors were not aware of any such opinion, nor did they contact the school board, before they decided to dismiss the guards.

At Thursday’s school board meeting, Kuehnle suggested an arrangement where the county would rehire the guards and the district would provide the county with funding for their salaries.

Watts said he was open to any proposal that would provide a solution to the problem.

And Morris said the district is committed to protecting its students.

“We’re going to do whatever we can legally do to protect the safety of our students,” he said.