Supervisors direct staff to draft square-footage formula and cap for cleanup liens after debate on costs

Tunica County supervisors debated how to set charges for property cleanups and demolition work and voted to have staff return with a standardized formula before authorizing further demolitions.

Miss Draper asked the board to permit the tax assessor’s office to place liens on properties for cleanup work. Supervisors and county staff discussed shifting from a flat fee to a square-footage–based formula, and whether caps could be applied to make costs less prohibitive for homeowners. Attorney Perry and county staff explained the county was not legally bound to a single statewide work rate and could set a formula so long as it applied uniformly.

Board members and county staff explored options for controlling the largest driver of cleanup cost — tonnage fees — and discussed capping equipment and labor charges while accepting tonnage as a pass-through cost. Staff suggested the road department could estimate square footage and that a standard form could be prepared and used to inform property owners of anticipated charges in advance.

Supervisor-level action led to a motion to bring a drafted formula back to the next meeting for approval; the motion carried. The board directed staff to prepare a square-footage–based form and propose a countywide cap or formula that would apply consistently to current and future demolitions.

The board also noted some demolition work was pending and that any cap would be applied to cases not yet approved, with staff examining whether retroactive adjustments were appropriate.