Leflore County resident Marilyn Sims appeared before the Board of Supervisors on Monday representing six families who, she said, were currently living on county-owned property without running water.
In attendance at the meeting with Sims were at least two residents who live on the section of County Road 512 in question, including a woman with a 3-month-old baby.
Supervisors expressed surprise over hearing that the residents had reportedly been paying rent to another county landowner for property the county owns. District 4 Supervisor Wayne Self told Sims the issue of who holds the lease on the properties needed to be settled before the water issue could be addressed.
“What can be done now to help these families instead of pushing them down the river?” Sims protested. The board instructed attorney Joyce Chiles to track down lease agreements to help settle the issue.
District 2 Supervisor Robert Moore was absent from Monday’s meeting.
In other county business:
• The board approved its proposed 2016-17 budget after a public hearing yielded no contests or questions.
• Supervisors voted to put the administration of Greenwood Leflore Hospital on a special agenda to meet with them next Monday.
District 3 Supervisor Anjuan Brown expressed concern over recent reported layoffs at the hospital. “I’ve been getting calls about people losing their jobs, and to respond back to people I need to know the hospital’s plan,” he said.
Self agreed that the county’s recent meeting at the hospital hadn’t made it clear to him what problems the hospital faced and how it planned to move forward.
The hospital has laid off 51 workers since June and is running a
$4 million deficit for fiscal year 2016.
• William Whittington III, treasurer of the Leflore County Soil and Conservation District, asked the board to consider altering the way it funds that district. Rather than paying the salary and payroll tax for a clerk on a monthly basis, Whittington proposed that the district receive the same amount of funding in one annual lump sum, to be used at its discretion for programming as well as personnel costs. Programming includes soil stewardship education programs at local schools, a tree seedling giveaway and other programs that are subsidized by federal funds. The board approved, pending a review of the plan by Chiles.
• A representative of Arkansas Best Logging Company sought approval to use 4.3 miles of County Road 518 or Money Road, and 1.3 miles of County Road 532 to McIntyre Road, for hauling as many as 300 loads of timber in the coming months. Supervisors and county engineers agreed there were no other roads to move the timber out of Leflore County. District 1 Supervisor Sam Abraham moved that road usage be approved subject to monitoring for road damage and notification to the county of any such damage. The board approved.
• The Leflore County Veterans Service Office announced that a Vietnam War Veterans Ceremony will be held on Oct. 14 at the Leflore County Civic Center from 10 a.m. to noon with U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson presiding. Families of deceased veterans are invited to attend, as well as all veterans of the Vietnam War. Veterans and families are encouraged to call 453-3157 for confirmation to help officials plan for the event.
• Supervisors approved advertising for bids on construction of the Itta Bena Recreational Nature Trail Project, including a pavilion, trails and a boardwalk. Advertising will begin this week.
• Contact Kathryn Eastburn at 581-7235 or keastburn@gwcommonwealth.com.
