Supervisors Approve Change For Garbage Policy

Starting in 2021 garbage customers in the county who do not cut off their account if they move from their residence will no longer be granted leniency on their garbage bills. The decision by supervisors was prompted from a recurring problem of monthly garbage bills that continue to accrue after customers fail to contact the county’s garbage sanitation department when they move from a residence.
Prior to the decision at last Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the garbage bills would be waived if the customer could document they had cut off other utilities at their residence, which proved they no longer lived there.
“If they left that property, the homeowner is responsible to turn that garbage account off just like they turn the electricity off,” District 4 Supervisor Eddie Harris stressed following a hearing on a delinquent account where the customer was credited for monthly bills that accumulated after he moved from the property but failed to notify the county.
“We need to put an end to this,” District 3 Supervisor Kenny Harmon noted during the discussion.
“They came in and opened up, they can come back in and close them,” District 3 Supervisor Ken Rogers added.
The decision to make the change starting January 1 will allow supervisors time to notify all customers to be sure to close their account if they move from the residence. One reason for the change cited during the meeting is that the county continues to pay Waste Management each month for picking up the garbage, even if the can is not being used. Once the county is alerted that a garbage account is inactive, Waste Management will be notified and the account removed from the number of cans the company bills the county for each month.
The topic resurfaced during Monday’s meeting, as supervisors voted on the policy change. Customers will also be required to sign a form stating they want the service to be canceled.
The county’s garbage collection office is located in the Coffeeville courthouse. For questions about garbage accounts call (662) 675-8555.
Other business discussed in the meeting:
• Approved the Water Valley School District bus turn-around list, an annual occurrence as the school provides a list of driveways used by buses at the end of a route or road used to turn around.
“They may be personal drive-ways that the bus uses to turn around, but we have legal authority to maintain those for the school district,” Board President Cayce Washington explained. The list can also include drive-ways of the bus drivers to ensure there is adequate space to park.
• Agreed to put the utility bills for Northwest Community College (NWCC) at Everest in the county’s name. The agreement stems from an earlier decision by supervisors to allocate up to $18,000 annually to pay the utility bills for the portion of the building  in Water Valley that NWCC will occupy. The Central Street building has a separate meter for the third of space the college will occupy.
• EMA Director Dalton Coleman reported work continues to document extra hours deputies worked during the pandemic. Coleman explained the expenses will be submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for reimbursement.
Deputies helped provide security at the courthouses during the height of the pandemic to help provide instructions to customers who did much of their business at the courthouse entrances instead of entering the buildings.