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Supervisors accept $48,004 solid-waste grant as members criticize county property upkeep
Summary
The board approved a $48,004.94 competitive and noncompetitive solid waste grant that includes salary reimbursements; during discussion a supervisor criticized the upkeep of county properties and staff described steps and events to improve maintenance.
Tunica County supervisors voted to accept a $48,004.94 solid-waste grant Thursday while several supervisors raised concerns about county maintenance and illegal dumping.
County staff told the board the award includes salary reimbursements of $33,001.78 and that the remaining roughly $15,000 would be used for cleanup of illegal dumps and for expenses tied to upcoming community events. The board approved the grant with a motion and second; the clerk recorded the vote as carried.
Supervisor Larry Dunn (identified in the meeting by the surname Dunn) criticized the countys upkeep, saying: “I was very disappointed when I went to the clinic on the Robinsonville clinic on Saturday morning in the, the grass and the weeds and the condition of that facility.” He said the county needed to do a better job of enforcing clean-up and holding residents responsible.
County staff replied that crews had performed multiple cuts and cleanup efforts and outlined recent work across subdivisions and roadways. A county staff member who leads the maintenance effort said they had scheduled additional landscaping and flower-bed work and planned a focused cleanup push. Staff also said some grounds were too wet to safely enter after rain and that some areas required equipment unavailable when conditions were soft.
Board discussion touched on enforcement as a complement to cleanup efforts: one supervisor said community enforcement was necessary because cleaned sites were sometimes re-littered soon after county crews finished. Staff listed recent removal work in Old Sub, Jack Sub, New Sub, White Oak Subdivision, Sears Sub and Hamrick and said they planned more work in Kirby and Counts.
The grant acceptance was approved; supervisors also agreed to spread certain solid-waste actions across the minutes. A supervisor said the county would return with additional requests for vector control and outdoor event services, including a possible $3,800 contract for area spraying.
The meeting record shows the board approved the grant and discussed next steps; staff were directed to continue cleanup work and to bring event-related spending back for board approval.
