Court appoints judge to hear case between waterway district and county

PURVIS — A special judge was appointed by the Mississippi Supreme Court to preside over the case pitting the Pat Harrison Waterway District against Lamar County.

The Hattiesburg American reports Senior Chancellor Hollis McGehee was appointed last week to oversee the suit after the four 10th District Chancery Court judges recused themselves from the case.

The waterway district sued Lamar County on May 3, about eight months after the county informed the district on Sept. 6, 2011, that it was severing ties.

The district sued to recover the county’s 2011-12 membership dues of about $390,000.

Lamar County argued a 1998 amendment to the legislation that created the district spelled out the process whereby any of the 15-member counties could leave.