Ask Herald

In an effort to keep the public informed about matters that effect our area, the Herald encourages readers to submit questions via e-mail, U.S. mail or written questions can be dropped off at the office. E-mail your questions to askherald@bellsouth.net or mail them to P.O. Box 648. Each week, questions will be published in the newspaper and will also be posted online at www.yalnews.com.

The first question for this week:

Are the agendas for the city and county board meetings set far enough in advance so that it is possible for the Herald to publish them, or at least post them on the website?

Usually the agendas are a work in progress up to the days before the meetings. This gives anyone with business to conduct with either the city or county an opportunity to be heard in a timely manner.

The agenda for the Water Valley Board of Aldermen meetings closes at the end of the business day on the Thursday before the first Tuesday meeting, according to Vivian Snider, city clerk.

The County Board of Supervisors meeting agenda is mostly complete by the Friday before the first Monday meeting, says Chancery Clerk Amy McMinn. However, last minute changes can occur right up until meeting time.

Both Snider and McMinn have agreed to provide the Herald with the meeting agendas on the Friday before so that we can post them on the website at www.yalnews.com.

Question two:

Would it be possible for the city to set up a dumpster or two, somewhere out of sight, for the citizens of Water Valley to throw in trash that they don’t want to hang on to till the next trash day? If you take it to the road, someone’s dog or cat is going to enjoy tearing it up. I keep mine on my back porch, but still run the risk of animals getting in to it. I would love to be able to “clean out the closets” at my house if I just had someplace to take the “trash” right when I do it. An extra bag or two of trash isn’t worth a trip to the dump.

Unfortunately this was tried before and didn’t work, according to Mike Scroggins, manager of the street department. The city parked a couple of dump trucks out of sight on city property for the convenience of citizens. But, as often happens, a few people didn’t follow the rules and created such a mess that the city had to stop offering the service.

Question Three:

If a person in Water Valley had a lot of junk in their yard, and no way to remove it, would it be possible to “pile it up” along the roadside and have it removed?

Again we turn to Mike Scroggins who has good news for this questioner. A citizen can call the street department at 473-4229 (or city hall at 473-2431) and arrange for a special pick-up. In some cases – such as construction debris – there may be a small charge for the service. For example of dump truck load my cost $30. Still a bargain if you are up to your neck in all the leftovers from your remodeling projects.