County takes highest bid on King’s Point Island land

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — The Warren County Board of Supervisors had the highest bid of $100,000 on a Section 16 tract of land on King’s Point Island currently held by the Vicksburg Warren School District. 

At the regular school board meeting held Thursday, April 30, there was a moment of silence across the packed boardroom when VWSD Attorney Briggs Hopson read the $100,000 bid from the Warren County BOS. The bid was the highest out of the eight bids on the 643.92-acre tract of land. The bid was more than three times the amount of the second-highest bid. 

Warren County Board of Supervisors President Dr. Kelle Barfield explained this was because the county wanted to have something more to offer the public in the wake of a court order requiring the county to provide 24-hour service to the land, which would cost tax payers $4K per day.

“We jumped on the chance to bid on the tract when we learned it was coming available,” said Dr. Barfield. “We wanted to explore options that the land might be put to better use for the public.”

One such option has been rumored to be a camping area for local underprivileged families and their children.

“But we don’t want to put our cart before our horse. We’ll know more of what direction to go once we actually win the bid,” said Barfield.

According to the Mississippi Secretary of State, which serves as supervisory Trustee overseeing management and leasing of more than 640,000 acres of 16th section public school trust lands, the current lease holder has ten days to decide to match the highest bid. 

The land in question is currently held by Ramon B. May under his company name. May also owns and leases other tracts on the island and has been a vocal opponent of the county in litigation about the King’s Point ferry service.  His bid on the land was $6,440.

“We know they are up to something with a bid like that,” said May following the meeting. “I’ll tell you, the road to get to that piece of land goes through mine, and I’m not going to allow other hunters to go through my land to get there.”

Dr. Barfield said this is not going to be an issue since the county currently maintains the public road.

Barfield explained that if the county is going to have such a large amount of public funds invested in the ferry service, the land should have something more to offer the public. Barfield gave examples of the Clear Creek Golf Course and the new riverside park being developed. The BOS will begin to explore these options following officially winning the bid and Monday morning’s meeting of the Board.

“This will be on the agenda for Monday to approve the cost of ferry service based on the lawsuit requiring us to now provide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year service,” Barfield said. “We’re talking now in the neighborhood of $3 million a year to provide transportation to that land.”

Hopson said that all the bids appeared to be in order initially, but would be verified. The other bids on the tract were as follows:

Matthew Wilson $30,150

David White $31,007

James McGuffie $15,000 

Spencer Hooks,  Four Hooks Farms $25,000

Shane Upshaw $12,880

Howell R Jones Jr $6,450

Swamp Donkey Properties $8,250