PICAYUNE — A plat of land that appears to be one landowner’s personal dump site has residents a little huffy.
The dump site is located on Ulman Stockstill Road, near the Hobolochitto Creek and the Pearl River. A ride down that road leads to a small lot where landowner has decided to dump a pile of debris and three dilapidated log cabins.
Residents Lane Crawford and Scott McLemore said they are tired of looking at the lot, which has been in varying states of disarray for between five to six years. They have seen an assortment of trash dumped and removed from the site in that time, from Styrofoam to furniture and now the cabins.
A dumpster was parked on the lot for a time, said Crawford. Apparently it was used to attempt to cleanup the lot, but he said the landowner would dump more debris after cleaning some up.
“That’s just squalor,” Crawford said looking at the cluttered piece of land.
“It’s like a slap in the face. He’ll move stuff (out) and then there’s those other buildings in here,” McLemore said.
When Hurricane Katrina hit about three years ago, the ensuing flood pushed some of the debris out in the road, blocking the residents only way out, Crawford said.
Pearl River County Planning and Development Director Ed Pinero said the problem is going to end soon, with the county cleaning it up.
“We’re gonna clean it and lien it,” Pinero said. “They had the opportunity to clean it and they didn’t complete the job.”
Numerous attempts have been made to contact the landowner and have him voluntarily clean it up. Now that those efforts have failed, the county is forced to use its personnel and equipment to clean the land up. The cost to do the work, including the overtime it will cost to pay county employees to do it, will be attached the landowner’s tax bill.
Pinero said he has tried to contact the landowner, who to his recollection lives in Marrero, La., but recent attempts have been unsuccessful.
Former District IV Supervisor Robert Thigpen said that piece of land was a problem for him when he was in office. He remembers the landowner also owned a furniture business in Slidell, La. At times there would be what he suspected to be business-related trash out there, such as Styrofoam and cardboard boxes. Toward the end of Thigpen’s time in office, action was setto take place to cleanup the land, but when District III Supervisor Hudson Holliday sued the county concerning the subdivision regulations, the board got sidetracked.
Current District IV Supervisor J. Patrick Lee said that just in the short time he has been in office the land has been a problem. He recalls thatafter he contacted the landowner about cleaning the land he came out for a couple of days, but never returned to finish the job. When Lee called him back to finish the job and report more dumping, the landowner claimed someone else is dumping on the land. Lee said the only resolution to the problem would be to clean the land and put the cost to do so on the landowner’s taxes.
“I’m not calling him back anymore. We’re going to do what we need to do to clean it up,” Lee said.
The cabins on the land will be demolished and disposed of. Remaining debris also will be removed. If the landowner does not pay the taxes and the lien on his property after the land is cleaned then, after all legal procedures are handled, it will be put up for tax sale, Lee said.
Local News
Related Photos
-
By Jeremy Pittari
Dump in county draws neighbors ire
- Local News
-
-
SAFETY DAY
Picayune Police officers made a visit to the First Baptist Church of Picayune’s preschool class for their Community Helpers Safety Day. During the event the kids got to meet police officers and trigger lights and sirens in patrol vehicles.
- Escapee caught in county Pearl River County Sheriff’s deputies have captured the inmate who escaped from Mississippi Department of Corrections custody on Friday after attending his father’s wake in Picayune.
- Council discusses which funds to spend first On the same day as the ground breaking for the addition to the historic City Hall, city council members discussed which funds to spend first in its construction.
-
Poplarville aldermen honor Holliday, get audit report briefing
The city board of aldermen honored former District Three Supervisor Hudson Holliday at its Tuesday night meeting.
Mayor Billy Spiers presented Holliday with a framed resolution of appreciation for his dedication and service to the city while serving as county supervisor.
-
MRI INSTALLED
This $1.2 million Magnetic Resonance Imaging equipment was installed at the new location of Highland Community Hospital.
-
Hall suspected of robbery after escaping
A man who escaped from jail after attending his father’s wake is suspected of having carried out an armed robbery on the Texas-Arkansas state line. Johnny Hall escaped from Mississippi Department of Corrections custody on Friday while attending his father’s wake in Picayune.
-
City Hall expansion groundbreaking held
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday at the construction site for the expansion of the historic Picayune City Hall. “You can see our future when you look down Goodyear Boulevard. You see Chimney Square, our high school, The Link at First Baptist Church, Jack Read Park and then our historic City Hall.
-
PRC athletic director says he’ll recommend random drug testing
Pearl River Central athletic director Andy Kivlan told the school board at its Monday night meeting that he will most likely recommend that students participating in extracurricular activities, including band and ROTC, be subject to random drug screening.
-
Supervisors adopt resolution encouraging more economic development in South Miss.
Following a short presentation by State Sen. Tony Smith (R-Picayune), the board of supervisors adopted on Monday a resolution encouraging state officials and agencies to exercise “fairness and parity” regarding location of new industries in Mississippi.
-
MDEQ wants comprehensive waste disposal plan from county
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has told Pearl River County it wants a comprehensive waste disposal plan for the county. Supervisors indicated at their Monday meeting that they are not happy with the request.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
