Smelly Topic Surfaces In Recessed Meeting
By David Howell
Editor
COFFEEVILLE – A plea to Yalobusha Supervisors to pull out of the county’s curbside pickup was denied during a recessed supervisor meeting held last Thursday in Coffeeville.
Robert Taylor explained that he carries his trash to Oxford to be recycled, and no longer wished to keep the county’s garbage can, or the monthly fee that comes with it.
“I am recycling all my trash, taking it over to Oxford. It is no sense in me putting all my garbage in the ground, to be buried to be there 100 years from now,” Taylor said.
Taylors comments came during a hearing he had requested with county officials. Although the hearing is usually reserved for Yalobushians who have a past due garbage bill, Taylor’s case was unusual in that his bill was paid and his purpose was to pull out of the county’s service.
“I do not need y’alls garbage service. I do not need the county’s service any more, as far as garbage. From this point on, I am recycling and I don’t need the county’s can at my residence anymore,” Taylor said.
Supervisor Bubba Tillman pointed to a similar experience from a Scobey resident who had come to the board with a similar request.
“Is there anything that says he will have to show proof about what he is going to do with it (garbage)?” Tillman asked Board Attorney John Crow.
“No that is in regard if you allow exemptions,” Crow answered. “The board has an order on record saying we don’t allow exemptions from garbage collections,” Crow added. “It is the law of the state that this county must have a garbage collection and disposal system. It is mandatory.”
“This is an environmental thing. We owe our children a cleaner world than what we have now,” Supervisor Tommy Vaughn told Taylor, weighing into the discussion. “In the past I did like a lot of people, I burned my own garbage, put it in the ditch, but that is not acceptable,” Vaughn continued.
“If we don’t mandate that everybody have a garbage can, we will be right back in the same situation,” the supervisor continued.
Taylor countered, explaining he was a law-abiding citizen, the garbage he accumulated belonged to him, and he should be able to dispose of it at his discretion.
Taylor has the right to appeal the decision to Circuit Court within 10 days.
Also on last Thursday’s meeting agenda was a garbage hearing for Earleen Hawkins, who told supervisor her sister had been paying the bill.
“I didn’t know it was my responsibility until they sent me a bill saying I had to pay this garbage bill so I could get my tag,” Hawkins explained.
“Do you have anything showing where you were living somewhere else?” Supervisor Tommy Vaughn asked.
A third hearing for Tina Nicholson was cancelled after she failed to appear at the meeting.
Other business conducted at the recessed meeting included:
• Entered executive session for approximately 30 minutes to discuss a vehicle that had been confiscated by the sheriff’s office and details in the Fletcher Fly versus Yalobusha County lawsuit.
• Approved a $2,000 claim from Clear Creek Land and Timber. The money is a weight bond refund.
• Approved a half page, black and white advertisement in the legislative issues of the Mississippi Association of Supervisor magazine.
• Re-appointed Kim Hollowell to continue serving on the Yalobusha Water and Sewer Board.
• Advertised for bids for commodities frequently used by the county ranging from grader blades to road signs. These bids are taken on an annual basis, and the prices requested are for the entire year.
• Advertised for bids for the highest interest for money banked in 2009.
• Approved the employment of Janet Caulder as grant administrator for the county’s Waste Tire Grant. Caulder will be paid a percentage of the grant and replaces Bob Chandler.
• Approved applications from Fly Timber Company to exceed the posted weight limits on County Road 92 and County Road 212 in Districts One and Two. A second application from Fred Yates was approved on County Road 5 in District Five.
• Approved a policy to deal with paupers and unclaimed bodies.
