County Road Closure Sparks Intense Debate

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COFFEEVILLE – A stretch of a long-neglected county road located a few miles northeast of Coffeeville was abandoned by Yalobusha County Supervisors following a public hearing that brought a strong objection from one person.  Patsy Schroyer was the lone speaker during the hearing, pleading with supervisors to keep County Road 555 open. Roughly running east-west, County Road 555 connects to County Road 226 on the west and County Road 58 on the east. The closure and a public hearing had been advertised in March to allow public input during the March 28 supervisor meeting. 

Schroyer explained that her interest in the road partially stems from an encounter with a MotorTrend crew she encountered on County Road 555 early last fall.

“It is the TransAmerican Trail that comes through there. They were shocked that we didn’t know that,” Schroyer told supervisors. “They said it was a trail that goes coast to coast.”

Schroyer shared details of the encounter, explaining that MotorTrend crews were crossing the country on the TransAmerican Trail in two Rivian R1T electric pickup trucks and a hybrid Dodge Ram pickup.

“I think the road needs to be kept up,” Schroyer continued. “Because if something happens on both ends of 226 and 216, that is the only way we can get out. And finding out this TransAmerican Trail comes through Yalobusha County makes it important.”

She also said her family helped the MotorTrend crew travel the road, explaining they wanted to stick strictly to the trail instead of detouring around the almost impassable stretch. She also reiterated that with family land in the area, the road may be needed in the future if there is an emergency such as a fire or tornado.

Schroyer also volunteered use of her bull dozer to help maintain the road.

“How many different land owners are on that road?” District Five Supervisor Gaylon Gray asked. 

“It is going to be just one, he just bought it,” Schroyer answered.

“One, all the way through. But the main thing about this road is if you close it, you have to go all the way CR 226, turn and come back up by the gin,” Gray said.

With a portion of the road in his district, Board President Cayce Washington explained why he was in favor of the closure.

“My guys this morning are on (County Road) 226. I am catching grief on social media… some of your neighbors out there are tearing me up about how bad that road is,” Washington explained prioritizing work on more traveled roads.

Schroyer agreed that 226, known informally as Goshen Road, is also in bad shape. 

Washington added that he was comfortable with closing the portion of CR 555 because the single landowner impacted by the decision has requested the closure.

“If I owned that land, I might want it to be closed. Especially because the county isn’t taking care of it… He probably wants it closed because he wants to keep people out of there.  But it has been there all the years,” Schroyer said. She added that ATV riders use the road at times.

“You mentioned the need to possibly get out on that road. That road is such a chore to keep up because it has a sandy bottom. There are places the walls are vertical,” Washington countered.

“You know, because when they kept going through there, they just kept cutting it down,” Schroyer said about prior work on County Road 555. “You can go in there and make water breaks that will stop the sand. You have to use your head.”

“I agree with you,” Washington said. The supervisor added that County Road 226 and other roads in the area provide access points on both ends of CR 555. “I already have problems on 226, the reason that road is ate up is because (sweet) potato farmers come through. But it is already a developed road that I feel like is worth spending the money on versus trying to rehab 555 up to a standard to get trucks through there,” Washington stated.

“It doesn’t have to be perfect, just enough to get through there,” Schroyer countered.

“I hear what you are saying, and I know it is sensitive to you because you use it as a route,” Washington said.

“It sensitive to everybody out there because that may be our only route out,” Schroyer continued.

“Again, that is the point I was making, you have two routes out,” Washington stressed.

Schroyer reiterated that if a tornado comes through the area, they may need CR 555 for access.

Washington said that he had also encountered people traveling the TransAmerican Trail on the Holly Springs National Forest and other rural roads. 

“There is plenty of federal property that those guys can ride on along that route,” Washington explained.

“But that would change the whole route,” Schroyer continued as she revisited the encounter last fall with the  MotorTrend trail. “I tried to tell them how to go around because they couldn’t get through. But they wanted to stick with the trail. If they reroute the trail, I would hate for them to take it out of Mississippi.”

“I don’t think they would, I think they would probably still go through the National Forest,” Washington said. “There is not a house on that road, Patsy. I am trying to take care of road that have houses on them. That is the struggle I face, I would love to keep up the trails.”

Schroyer said she would help maintain CR 555 if the county supplied dirt.

With the eastern part of the road in District Three, supervisor Kenny Harmon also said he didn’t have the resources to maintain his portion of the road.

“I used to go through that road all the time, myself. When I got elected I went over there and looked at it and I said ‘Oh my goodness.’ When is the last time a vehicle has been through there? I can tell you there is no way I can fix it,” Harmon said.

“You had them loggers that come through there, you should have had the loggers fix the road they tore up,” Schroyer said.

Washington explained that when he first took office, his guys spent three days working on CR 555.

“I was fighting a losing battle because of the sand. The loggers actually got the road in the best shape since I have been in office. Of course the water hurt it later,” Washington said.

Schroyer made a last plea, asking supervisors to bring dirt from road ditches are graded in the area and she will help maintain it.

“You have kids who come out of Water Valley that come through there on four-wheelers,” she added.

“That is probably why the landowner wants it closed. A lot of times they throw cans out,” Washington said.

“How about if we leave it open and you fix it?” Harmon asked. “I can tell you I don’t have the money to fix it.”

“It sounds like she is open to that,” Gray said.

“This road is exactly the way she describes it, it is a four-wheeler riding road. It is not worthy of a vehicle, you couldn’t get a four-wheel drive truck through there,” Washington said.

“When Butch (Surrette) was in there, he kind-of kept it up,” a determined Schroyer continued.

“Well the landowner came to us through his attorney and we took it under advisement and that is why he is here today,” Washington explained.

“Does he live here?” Schroyer asked.

“He doesn’t, but he pays taxes just like you do,” Washington said.

The 4 – 0 Vote

“All right guys, what do you want to do?” Washington asked.

“That is y’alls call right there,” Gray said, a reference to Washington and Harmon making the determination because the road is in their beats. “Me, I hate to close a road that isn’t a dead end. Landowners change, you never know. There can be a lot of hard feelings over closed roads. Folks don’t forget when you close a road.”

“I am going to drop about $120,000 on 226 in the next few weeks,” Washington explained.

“Getting back to 226, I was driving a dump truck the last time it was resealed. As soon as we got through, a cloud came up and it rained three inches on it and that is one reason it is bad. All that tar bubbled up to the top. I remember Tommy Vaughn and his crew hauled sand out there for a week.” Gray noted.

“If we work this week, it will make three weeks we have been on that road pulling ditches, cutting limbs and replacing culverts,” Washington said about ongoing work on 226.

County Engineer Karl Grubb next provided input, stating that the road is a liability if it is not maintained.

“You have two choices, either close it or you get it back to where it should be,” Grubb said.

“Yes, if the county knows about it and doesn’t do anything about it we will be liable,” Gray agreed.

“It is even worse that it is being utilized as a four-wheeler recreational road. If you get a bunch of kids out there drinking and cutting up,” Board Attorney Shannon Crow added.

“I am fighting to keep the roads up that people are using,” Washington stressed. “I would just rather tie up the local county taxpayer’s money on roads that are in better condition than 555 – 226, 216 and 60.” 

“Most of that road is mine and I hate it. But I don’t have the money,” Harmon added.

Washington then motioned to close the road.

“Do we have a second, I made the motion?” Washington asked initially getting a second.

“If you don’t close it, you better get out there and get the liability off of you,” Grubb reiterated.

Harmon made the second after further discussion. Supervisors Washington, Ken Rogers, Kenny Harmon and Eddie Harris voted in favor of the closure and Gray abstained.