Mississippi Code Title 29. Public Lands, Buildings and Property § 29-3-57

The superintendent of education shall keep a current docket as to the expiration date of all leases on sixteenth section lands; likewise, he shall keep a correct current docket upon the existing leases or any extensions thereof as to the amounts and time of payment of rentals provided for by such lease. It shall be the duty of the superintendent of education to collect promptly all rentals due and all principal and interest due upon loans and investments of sixteenth section funds. Upon a sixty (60) day default in payment of any rentals according to the terms of such lease, the lease shall be declared terminated unless the board of education finds extenuating circumstances were present, and the board shall inaugurate the proper legal proceedings to terminate such lease. The superintendent of education, with the approval of the board of education, may employ an attorney or other person to aid in collecting any such funds when in his opinion the same is necessary, and may pay reasonable compensation therefor out of funds collected, not to exceed in any case twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount actually collected. It shall be the duty of the superintendent of education to supervise generally the administration of all sixteenth section lands within his jurisdiction. In all cases where leases of sixteenth section lands are entered into, it shall be the duty of the superintendent of education to take the notes of the lessees for the rents provided by said lease and turn them over to the county depository and attend to their collection. In the case of the leasing of agricultural lands, the school district shall have the same rights and remedies for the security and collection of such rent as are given by law to agricultural landlords.