INDIANOLA, Miss.–The Sunflower County Board of Supervisors voted this week to provide a scooter and a ramp for the scooter to be loaded in and out of a county truck, as an accommodation for the county’s E911 director.
John Thompson told supervisors that he was now unable to use his right leg, was coming to work in a wheelchair, and needed the scooter to make repairs on generators and other equipment at tower sites in the county. He has his own personal scooter, but said he had been afraid to use that one for county business.
“Something happens to it, are y’all willing to fix it?” he asked. “I was under the impression that I cannot bring my personal scooter on my job.”
Thomson said he was reluctant to use it because the board had refused to pay him back for a $29 emergency purchase of a tool.
“Well, what this scooter does is enhances him to keep our 911 system going,” said Supervisor Glen Donald, advocating for the purchase.
Thompson had previously brought a paper from his doctor which stated that he had no restrictions for work, which limited the supes on their need to provide ADA compliance. That had caused some board members to balk at the idea of purchasing a scooter and ramp.
However, during Thompson’s visit with the board, it was apparent that he did have a disability, which he said was caused by lymphoma.
The board voted to buy the scooter and pay for it with 911 money, collected from cell phone bills.
