Thursday, September 13, 2007
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Thursday, September 13, 2007 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
| IDA, county seek help with lagoon problem By SUE WATSON A lagoon problem could be solved with the extension of sewer service from the Chickasaw Trail Wastewater System and about $1.4 million in grants and loans, according to Del Stover with the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority. Two earth dug lagoons built in the 1950s and 1960s to serve two mobile home parks located at Highway 72 and Cayce Road were the subject of discussion at the September 4 meeting of the board of supervisors. One park, Magnolia Mobile Home Park, and the other located on the south side of Highway 72, were built back when the county had no permitting process or zoning ordinances, Stover said. The lagoons used to contain sewage from the two parks were just shallow dirt pits, and when it rains, the contents overflow into the ditches, causing a smelly situation. “It’s bad, it’s bad,” said supervisor Eddie Dixon, shaking his head. Stover, who was not present at the meeting but offered an interview Thursday, said, “It’s recognized as a pretty bad situation by everybody. It’s just a matter of it being fixed.” A combination of grants and loans to extend the sewer from the Grove of Cayce on Cayce Road up to Highway 72 then down to the service station and car wash about a half-mile to the east of the intersection would do the trick, Stover said. The extension would serve about 140 residences and six commercial businesses according to pre-engineering estimates, he said. He and county administrator Larry Hall visited with the director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Trudy Fisher, a few weeks ago to ask for help with the project that, once on the board, will be handled by IDA. “Ms. Fisher suggested looking for assistance from the Mississippi Development Authority other than just economic development loans and grants since this entrance to Mississippi is from Tennessee on Highway 72,” said Hall. “Her idea was this situation deters positive economic growth and basically gives Marshall County and the State of Mississippi a black eye.” The county will own the sewer extension and Chickasaw Trail Wastewater System would operate and maintain the system and do the bill collecting and debt service, Stover said. “MDEQ was very receptive to our suggestions and promised to look for available funding,” Stover said. “They will send inspectors up so they can understand the problem. The local health inspector, Alonzo Mourning, is also aware of the problem. “It’s not a new problem, just maybe a new solution.” He said the trailer park was developed by the sale of lots in the late ’60s. The lot buyer would put mobile homes in. Eventually some of the lots were sold and resold. Potential sources of funding for the project are Community Development Block Grants, Appalachian Regional Commission grants and loan monies from MDEQ and possibly Rural Development grants or loans, Stover said. |
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