CLEVELAND — More than 20 families have been without water now for two weeks in a Cleveland trailer park.
The Cleveland Mobile Home Park, owned by Greenwood radiologist, Dr. Michael Ko is just off Highway 8 outside of Cleveland.
“This place has never been in this bad of shape,” Schryle Robertson said. “This was always a nice place to live. I’ve watched so many families raise their children here.”
Ko was arrested Nov. 17 by the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department on a bench warrant from Bolivar County officials. Ko was charged with 21 counts of embezzlement under contract.
Water was cut off to residents on Nov. 9 and will not be turned back on, residents said.
According to the Bolivar Commercial, the water was turned back on for a few days, but city representatives discovered someone had tampered with the meter. The meter was pulled to prevent further tampering.
“It’s a real inconvenience,” said John Robertson, a resident who has helped manage the property since July. “You have to go to your kinpeople’s houses just to bathe. You have to go to town just to have water.”
Without running water, residents are also unable to cook and clean without outside sources of water.
“It’s pitiful, it really is,” said Schryle Robertson. “When people come over, the kids always want to know what I’ve baked for the holidays. It’s hard to tell them that I haven’t cooked because I don’t have water.”
According to the Bolivar Commercial, Ko purchased the property about three years ago.
Charles Hooper, who has lived in the park for 20 years, said he rarely hears from the owner and has had a difficult time reaching him. “I’ve only seen him out here twice since he bought the place,” Hooper said.
Various residents said that Ko had intentions of putting apartments on the land when he bought the place. Hooper said the Board of Supervisors wouldn’t allow him to do that because the area was a flood zone.
“I understand that he is a businessman, but he really should have done his research,” Hooper said. “He still could have made money by at least taking care of this place.”
Some of the residents said they believe Ko became disinterested in his investment when it wasn’t what he expected it to be.
“Nobody’s blaming him for shutting the place down,” John Robertson said. “If you can’t make money, you can’t make money. It’s the way that he’s gone about doing it.”
Several residents complained that the lawns of unused trailers and other sections of the park had been untended since Ko purchased the property.
“The only way the grass is taken care of now is when it’s done by the people who live here with riding mowers,” Hooper said.
Another problem was mounting trash and debris that wasn’t moved for long periods of time.
“The trash was piled nearly as high as a building,” Hooper said. “We had to call the health department before anything was done about it.”
Calls to the City of Cleveland haven’t helped address the water problem either, John Robertson said. “They’ve given us four or five reasons why they can’t come put water meters out here,” he said.
Wendy McClain, city clerk, tax collector and registrar, told the Bolivar Commercial that the city was stuck in a difficult situation.
“We do not want to see anyone go without water,” McClain told the Commercial. “But we have to honor the owner’s wishes.”
McClain could not be reached for comment by this morning.
Those who have tried to move out of the park have found it difficult.
“No one has anywhere to go,” John Robertson said. “There were 29 families here, and there are still 23 left. We are all looking, but everything is full.”
Lynn Farmer, a resident of the park, told the Commercial that contrary to the lease agreement, Ko did not provide residents with a 30-day written notice that the water was to be cut off.
“The hardest part is seeing the elderly and the children go without,” John Robertson said. “There is a baby out here, and its mother has to buy water just to mix up its formula.”
John Robertson said that after much media attention, he has noticed a lot of negative comments and letters online and in the papers. He said most of the public’s perception of the park is not true.
“They are calling us trash, and it hurts,” John Robertson said. “Most of the people out here were paying their rent. There are a lot of good, hard-working people out here.”
Ko’s hearing before Bolivar Justice Court Judge James Straight is scheduled for Dec. 17.
Attempts to reach Dr. Ko for comment were not successful.
