A Marion County woman is continuing her quest to ensure roads across the county get funding for needed repairs.
Dolores Porter, who has attended several Marion County Board of Supervisors meetings over the past few months, was back in front of the board Wednesday asking questions and offering once again to help.
“I am still compiling many issues and complaints,” she said. “Many of these are the same issues that I’ve been raising for months. I’m downloading pictures for a PowerPoint presentation to show what I’ve found. I went to Jackson last Thursday and met with the road commissioner and went to Attorney General Jim Hood’s office to make sure I’m on the right track.”
Porter said she in concerned for the safety of students on school buses in some areas, including Gates Road and other northern Marion County locations. She also raised concerns about several projects.
“Why did you agree to the new highway (Mississippi 44)?” Porter asked the board.
District 2 Supervisor Terry Broome said the paving project was the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s effort, not Marion County’s.
“We had no say-so in the matter,” he said. “That was the state.”
District 5 Supervisor Calvin Newsom further explained the differences in the various types of roads. Mississippi 44, 35, 13 and 43 are state highways, maintained and paved by MDOT. Likewise, U.S. 98 is a federal highway, also paved and maintained by MDOT. He explained that Gates Road, for example, is a state aid road and would be paved with state and federal highway funds allocated to counties. County roads include the other roads that are maintained using only county funds. The board told Porter that they don’t have the funds to pave the other roads.
“We would love to be able to pave more roads,” Newsom said. “On the other roads, the state doesn’t consult us.”
Porter said she was concerned that some county roads are “almost gravel roads.”
“You’ll have to go to the legislature,” Broome said. “Our money comes through the state legislature. Counties are being continually cut. We also wish the public would understand that we were not the ones who paved 44 or 13 or 98. While the main source of funding for roads is the taxpayers, it comes in three ways: local, state and federal. The cost of materials is escalating, and our funding is being cut. We cannot force them to give us more money. We end up doing the best we can with the funds we have.”
Porter said she would follow up with the supervisors and continue her quest with legislators and state officials.
“I’ll be back to see you,” she told the board.
Board members thanked her for her persistence and wished her luck with state officials.
In other business, the board discussed preparations to take over garbage service when new trucks arrive soon.
“We can start interviewing people for these positions now,” Board President Randy Dyess said. “Terry (Broome) spoke with Chris Lockwood from Waste Pro (the county’s current provider) and they are willing to keep servicing areas as long as we need them.”
The board also voted to have maintenance done and inspect a garbage truck the county kept when it changed over to privatized service in 2012. The truck may be placed in service along with new trucks that were ordered this summer.
The Board also approved Marion County Emergency Management Director Aaron Greer and Deputy Director Cindy Williamson to attend the Mississippi Civil Defense Emergency Management Association’s midwinter conference in Tunica Nov. 13-15. The cost of the conference is $786 for registration and hotel accommodations.
