The Leflore County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to declare a state of emergency at the Delta Apartments, where grass growth and trash build-up have begun to pose a health risk.
Joyce Chiles, attorney for the board, told the supervisors that the complex’s management group lacks the funds to maintain the grounds there. The complex is in foreclosure.
“Their subsidies just aren’t enough to keep them going,” Chiles said.
District 2 Supervisor Robert Moore, whose district includes Delta Apartments, said he wanted to declare an emergency so the county could act immediately to minimize the health risks at the complex. About 30 families live there.
“We’ve got to get the grass cut and the weeds cut. We’ve got kids out there,” Moore said.
He said he wanted to get the work done quickly and asked County Administrator Sam Abraham to ensure that it would be done. However, Abraham said the owner had to be notified first, and Chiles said they needed at least two weeks.
Moore said he wanted to make a motion to allow the work to be done as quickly as possible within the bounds of the law.
After Abraham asked who would be charged for the work, Moore suggested the bill be attached to the property. Abraham said he was concerned that the bill may not be paid.
President Wayne Self said placing a lien on the property may discourage future buyers. “They may not jump out there on purchasing because we’ve got this big bill building up,” he said. “Anyone coming in to buy is not going to want to pay that.”
Moore said the people at the Delta Apartments can’t afford for the county to not take action.
“If the grass goes uncut, and the trash goes uncollected, folks are going to go on living in unsafe conditions out there,” he said.
District 1 Supervisor Phil Wolfe said he agreed with Moore.
“Even if we don’t ever get paid, we still have a potential health hazard on our hands,” Wolfe said. “We’ve got to do something whether we recoup the money or not.”
Wolfe also said he wanted to make sure the county did not bind itself to a position where it had to continue to maintain the property.
Moore’s motion passed with no opposition. The property is on the county tax roll, but taxes were not paid this year. Taxes are also owed for prior years.
