Jones County residents will soon see in an increase in their garbage collection fees.
No one attended a public hearing Monday designed to discuss the Jones County Board of Supervisor’s intent to adopt an order raising the garbage collection monthly fee from $11 to $11.50, so board members unanimously voted to adopt the order.
Annual payments made by February 28th of each year will increase from $126 to $132. According to supervisors, this is a 4.5 percent increase in monthly fees that will generate $80,000 in additional annual revenue at the current collection rate.
Board President Andy Dial noted that the current fee is inadequate to defray the cost of operating the solid waste collection and disposal system. Increased costs include gasoline, insurance and maintenance of equipment.
Former Supervisor Johnny Johnson was on hand for the hearing and commended the board for their work. “But first I want to say you have this item listed as new business, but it’s really old business,” he said.
“Years ago I was told by people that the fee would be $20 a month,” he said. “Y’all should be commended for the job you have done with this.
“A lot of people just don’t know how much work goes into this and how many people are involved in pulling this together. And now since I don’t have an income now, I’ve got to find a way to pay this extra 50 cents,” he joked.
In another matter, Jones County Administrator Charles Miller noted that garbage service will not run on Christmas Day. Those whose garbage is normally picked up on Friday will have their garbage picked up on Monday, December 28th. Likewise, service will not run on New Year’s Day, but on Monday, January 4th.
In other business, the supervisors voted to allow Jones County Emergency Management Director Don McKinnon to apply for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to build emergency shelters in each of the county’s volunteer fire districts. According to McKinnon, each shelter costs from $3,500 to $5,000.
“FEMA allows local government to apply for funds to build safe rooms that measure no more than 196-square-feet,” explained McKinnon. “This is basically a 14-by-14 building and they have four different ways in which you can build them.
“There is no cap on the cost of the structure,” he added. “You can make them as simple or as lavish as you desire.”
McKinnon said the main purpose of the shelters are to provide a safe haven in the event of a tornado warning or some other emergency that may happen instantly. “It gives employees located in county buildings a safe place to go,” he said. “All 19 volunteer fire departments have shown interest in the buildings.”
Dial said if the county is awarded a grant for the construction of the shelters, he would like for them to be constructed at the same cost. “That’s only fair,” he said.
In other business, the Board of Supervisors:
• Were visited by Joe Tegerdine , who introduced himself as a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress, Mississippi District 4
• Established a policy concerning the burial of abandoned bodies. The decision was made after Jones County Coroner Nancy Barnett reported that two bodies are in the county morgue and are waiting to be buried. One body has been at the morgue since Oct. 16 and the family has stated that they have no funds for a burial.
If families do not claim the bodies of their loved ones within the five day period as mandated by law, the bodies will be cremated.
• Awarded the environmental assessments contract for the new Department of Human Service Building to Apex, Inc.; and
• Accepted Shows, LLC’s proposal to handle debris management for the county.
Local News
Garbage collection fee will go up
Supervisors approve 50-cent increase
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