Council to vote on storm debris contract
Apr. 24—The Meridian City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a contract with Waste Pro setting terms for the cleanup and removal of storm debris.
A special called meeting is set form 9 a.m. on the third floor of City Hall where the council will consider the storm debris contract.
Efforts to reach an agreement on storm debris removal began after two rounds of severe weather on March 24 and 26 brought heavy rain and strong winds to the east Mississippi region. Multiple homes in both the city and Lauderdale County were struck by fallen trees, more than two dozen roads were temporarily blocked and several thousand people lost power.
East Mississippi Electric Power Association, which serves much of rural Lauderdale County, reported more than 60 power poles down from the storms.
In a March 28 meeting, Meridian Public Safety Director Doug Stephens told the City Council efforts were underway to tally the damage from the storms and develop a plan to collect logs, branches and other debris from residents' yards.
Stephens told the council he had about $144,000 in disaster recovery funds that could be used to help cover cleanup expenses.
In addition to residential property, several city parks sustained damage from the storms as well. Trees and power poles were downed at Phil Hardin, Highland and other city parks.
In an April 18 meeting, Ed Skipper, who serves as administrative assistant to the mayor, told council members the city was still working to assess the damage and calculate the best way forward. Some of the damage, he said, will not meet the city's insurance deductible and will need to be fixed out of pocket.
County Cleanup
Lauderdale County is also working to help residents clear storm debris.
Road Manager Rush Mayatt told the Board of Supervisors in a March 30 work session that he had surveyed the damage and found there was too much for residents to clear by themselves. The road department, he said, would be assisting the cleanup efforts in the areas of the county impacted by the storm.
A map of the affected area, which includes Collinsville, Bailey, Marion and Nellieburg, can be found on the Lauderdale County Road & Bridge Facebook page.
Residents in the affected area have until May 1 to pile storm debris in the county rights-of-way at least five feet but no more than 15 feet from the edge of the road. Large limbs and trees need to be cut into sections no longer than six feet.
After the deadline, county road crews will come by to pick up the debris. Any debris put out after crews come by will not be picked up.
Under both city and county plans, private contractors hired for cleanup or repairs are responsible for hauling off and disposing of any debris.
Contact Thomas Howard on Twitter @tmhoward
