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Board continues local emergency proclamation as Reedtown water problems persist
Summary
After MEMA denied a statewide emergency request and Reedtown said it would supply customers, supervisors voted to continue a proclamation of local emergency and to seek signatures from other board members; the county mobilized tanker water deliveries to affected neighborhoods.
The Claiborne County Board of Supervisors voted Feb. 3 to continue a proclamation of an existing local emergency related to ongoing water shortages and low pressure in parts of the county served by the Reedtown Water Association.
Emergency Management Director Marvin Ratliff told the board he requested assistance from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency after calls and reports of low or no pressure and unsanitary conditions. "We did prepare a news release and requested water assistance," Ratliff said. MEMA investigated and initially denied an assistance request on the basis that Reedtown told MEMA it would provide bottled water to affected customers. Ratliff said Reedtown had not ultimately supplied the water to all affected residents.
Supervisor Chambers and other board members reported field assistance and local relief efforts: Chambers said she and Supervisor Odom distributed water pallets and coordinated with the Salvation Army and the county’s solid-waste department to assist residents. Ratliff said a county tanker had been deployed to District 4 and that he recommended continued declaration while conditions remain uncertain.
After discussion, the motion to continue the proclamation of local emergency was made by Supervisor Hudson and seconded by Supervisor Odom; it carried. The board asked Ratliff and county staff to continue coordinating deliveries and to provide updates on Reedtown’s actions and on any renewed MEMA response.
Ending: The board directed staff to continue relief coordination, asked the emergency director to update the board, and requested that remaining supervisors sign the local-proclamation paperwork.
