Katie Jones takes stand on erosion

Katie Jones, who has property on the north side of Hernando Road, is not going to quit until something is done about floodwaters washing away her property and threatening her house.

She was back in the boardroom at a meeting of the Marshall County Board of Supervisors in July insisting the county redirect floodwaters away from her house which sits high about 15 feet above the road on a bank.

The problem has worsened over the last few years, she said.

County engineer Larry Britt told supervisors he doesn’t know how to redirect the water.

“The volume and velocity of the water is the cause of the problem,” he said. “Rip rap will slow it down out to the right-of-way. Rip rap should slow the speed of the water, but will not stop erosion. All we can do is work inside the (county) right-of-way.”

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry, who put the discussion back on the table, said there is a natural drain in the location.

Jones would not take no for an answer.

“You have taken care of other people, you know good and well,” she said. “Dirt washes away. I’m nobody to you all, but I’m somebody to me. You got to do something for me. I expect you to do right by me.”

Terry said the drainage in the area has been ongoing for 45 years.

Jones said there is a price to pay for 35 years when nothing was done to stop the erosion.

She’s been living on that spot about 15 years.

Her property is on the north side of Hernando Road opposite Raines Grocery.

“Y’all are full of it. I’m a person by myself. I am a woman. But I got a head full of sense. You know it took 35 years. I suggest y’all get something to stop erosion. You can’t just throw me to the dogs. I need y’all to come up with something. I need some help. You can go on my property,” Jones said.

District 4 supervisor George Zinn III asked if the county could put rip rap on the ditch bank in the area.

Terry said he doesn’t think rip rap will help.

“It would be something to slow it down – the best we can do – and try to dress that wall (retention pond wall) to slow it down,” Zinn said.

Zinn made a motion, seconded by District 2 supervisor Eddie Dixon, to allow the road crew to go on private property to lay rip rap to slow water rushing through the drainage pipe under the road down the ditch.

“I feel we already have the authority,” Zinn said. “We are not talking about a pond levy.” Terry said there were cross ties between Jones’ house and the pond nearby.

“I don’t know what he’s

talking about,” Jones said. “About on the side of the pond,” Terry said. Terry then made a motion

to table the matter until supervisors can go out and get a good look at the cross ties, the bank and how much is washed out.

“We are going to take pictures and discuss it at the next meeting,” Terry said.

Road manager Mario Pegues said a retention pond was built near the drainage ditch along the roadside and that the bank was burned off. Vegetation that was holding the soil in place has increased erosion on the pond wall.