Two concerned citizens went before the Carroll County Board of Supervisors to complain about two different road problems -- one with no access and one with too much access from 18-wheeler dump trucks.
Dick Lehman and Julie Melton both went before the board in Carrollton on Nov. 5 to complain about road problems.
Lehman said he has 420 acres on County Road 47 that he can’t get access to. He said the road is near the Carroll County/Holmes County line, and in order for him to get access, he has to go through Holmes County to get to the road.
“You can’t even get an ATV down that road,” he said. “I can’t sell the timber on it because no one wants to take the road to get there. It totally ridiculous. I shouldn’t have to come here to beg to get some help. Y’all put those new box culverts on 31, you could’ve come on down the road and leveled it out.”
He said when the rain comes, it washes the road out and it causes ruts that no one can get to.
“Guys from Holmes County were working on their roads, and they tried to use the road to get back through to their side and they had to turn around. They couldn’t get through. If they can work on their roads, why can’t we work on ours?”
Board President Rickie Corley told Lehman that whatever Fluker needed help with, he’ll help him. All the supervisors echoed his sentiment.
“Claude knows if he needs our help, we’ll help him,” Supervisors Jim Neill said. “But, we all have our hands full, there’s no doubt about that.”
“I just want to be able to use the road. I’m not asking for asphalt, I just want the road leveled so it can be used,” Lehman said.
In another road matter, Melton said workers with P & F have been using Teoc Road to cut as a shortcut to Highway 8 going into Greenwood.
“They’re not going through Greenwood, but they’re cutting around the highway,” she said.
Melton said she followed the trucks toward Tallahatchie County, and she said they’re working on a new funeral home in North Greenwood.
She said she doesn’t live on Teoc Road herself, but she uses the road as a shortcut to get to Greenwood – just as the trucks are doing.
“I don’t understand why commercial trucks are using a residential street, and if they keep on they’re going to make the property value go down,” she said.
“It’s not a residential road, it’s only public and private,” Supervisor Terry Brown told Melton.
“Well, I was under the impression of it being a residential road,” Melton said.
Brown said he’s posted the no trucks signs thinking it would re-route the truckers, but it hasn’t slowed them down.
“And those trucks are speeding along that road,” Melton said.
“They’re not the only ones,” Brown said. “If you’re going the speed limit on that road, people will pass you like you’re sitting still.”
“Well, I don’t think they should be using those roads to get to Greenwood, they don’t do it in Greenwood,” she said. “Why is it that they can do it on our roads?”
Supervisor Dill Tucker said if roads are limited, it’ll open a can of worms in the county. Board Attorney Kevin Horan agreed.
“You’ll have a room full of people in here wanting restrictions on their roads also and a room full of people who are trying to make a living and their businesses are suffering,” Horan said.
Brown also added the truckers utilize the truck stops and the restriction could hurt their business as well.
Tucker explained that on Highway 430, there are 18-wheelers that load and unload on his road as well, and there are always trucks that are going out to Highway 407 and Highway 51.
“It’s not just you, it’s every highway.”
