BOONEVILLE — The Prentiss County Board of Supervisors, at their mid-month meeting, discussed the potential liabilities of law enforcement officials using tasers in the line of duty.

Board Attorney Tommy Cadle informed supervisors that he and Chancery Clerk Bubba Pounds recently visited the Prentiss County Justice Center, where they advised law enforcement officials of the need to use tasers with discretion.

In adjoining Tippah County, a lawsuit has been filed against that county after a Ripley man, Jimmy Dale Hunsucker Jr., was tasered repeatedly, following a traffic stop in June, 2007. A jury trial is being requested.

At the mid-month meeting during the taser discussion, Supervisor Glen Green quipped local county law enforcement officers could probably “get training” from Tippah County regarding tasers.

Attorney Cadle said he had also discussed with jail officials the importance of staying in compliance with a federal lawsuit, especially when dealing with overcrowding and inmate populations.

Cadle said there have been no recent problems with overcrowding on the weekends.

“That ultimately helps with our insurance premiums,” he noted and added the county’s liability deductible had dropped from $50,000 to $25,000.

Cadle added an inmate count report is done each Sunday night.

Regarding any potential liability issues that might result due to actions of the Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department, Attorney Cadle noted, “Whatever they do, the ‘buck’ ultimately comes back here.”

He was referring to county government as a whole, with the board of supervisors being the top administrative officials of Prentiss County.

In other action, the board:

• Heard from Chancery Clerk Bubba Pounds, who noted tax settlement to date totals $125,000 more than at the same time period last year;

• Learned a second round of state budget cuts will affect state aid in Prentiss County even further. The county total in cuts is now $63,335.38;

• Approved a correction in mapping for the town of Marietta. Two parcels included inside the corporation limits are actually outside the town.

Also, one parcel listed outside the town limits is actually inside the municipality;

• Heard a presentation from a representative of Afflack Insurance. Chancery Clerk recommend any action be tabled until a later date. Supervisors Mike Huddleston and Glen Green told the representatives if the county felt like they needed their insurance, they would let them know;

• Approved travel for the county’s flood plain administrator to attend a training session in Fredericksburg, Md.;

• Approved Bubba Pounds to serve as an interim Northeast Community College board of trustee member until Dec. 31, 2011. Pounds will fill the spot vacated by former county superintendent, Matt Smith, who recently resigned to take a job as Kossuth principal;

• Heard from Circuit Clerk Mike Kelley, who advised officials of a vacancy in the superintendent position. The board approved the election commission expediting action to place the post on the November general election ballot;

• Went into executive session to discuss legal issues.

The next regularly-scheduled meeting of the board of supervisors is Monday, March 1, at the conference room of the Chancery Building, downtown Booneville.