June 24, 2009
Robbie Coblentz
Managing Editor, StarkvilleNow
The Supes are up to it again.
County resident James Williams appealed his donation of land to the Poorhouse Road project at Monday’s meeting.
According to the Starkville Daily News, Williams complained about his treatment in February by Board president John Young when he was told he would be public embarrassed if he didn’t donate land.
From the article:
District 5 Supervisor John Young told him that he would be embarrassed with his name in the newspaper if he did not donate his land.
“He told me I would be sued,” Williams said.Without knowledge of state law that grants him the right to be compensated, Williams did what Young asked of him.
“I signed anyway, because I trusted him,” he said.
Williams was limited to only 3 minutes of public comment time, the minimum allowed even though, according to the SDN, others before him were allowed more time to address the board.
Is this the leadership we deserve in Oktibbeha County? Strong-armed tactics and disregard for the law? Anti-economic development (sorry Highlands, we are going back on our word)?
Starkville residents need to remember that the Board represents ALL who live in Oktibbeha County, not just those outside the city limits.
It is time to pressure the Board of Supervisors to do what is right and in the best interest of the county. Call, email or fax your elected official and tell him that you support a fair deal for Poorhouse Road residents that are giving up land for the road project. And tell him that you expect better leadership.
District One Supervisor Carl Clardy
Carl Clardy
Supervisor District 1 of Oktibbeha County Mississippi
P. O. Box 80285
Starkville, MS 39759
(ph): 662.769.0070
(fax): 662.338.1065
District Two Supervisor Orlando Trainer
Orlando Trainer
Supervisor District 2 of Oktibbeha County Mississippi
P. O. Box 80285
Starkville, MS 39759
(ph): 662.769.0071
(fax): 662.338.1065
District Three Supervisor Marvel Howard
Marvel Howard
Supervisor District 3 of Oktibbeha County Mississippi
P. O. Box 80285
Starkville, MS 39759
(ph): 662.769.0072
(fax): 662.338.1065
District Four Supervisor Daniel Jackson
Daniel Jackson
Supervisor District 4 of Oktibbeha County Mississippi
P. O. Box 80285
Starkville, MS 39759
(ph): 662.418.1859
(fax): 662.338.1065
District Five Supervisor John Young
John L. Young, Sr.
Supervisor District 5 of Oktibbeha County Mississippi
P. O. Box 80285
Starkville, MS 39759
(ph): 662.769.0074
(fax): 662.338.1065
Wow. . .it seems the County needs to learn from the City. The citizens of Starkville will vote for change when they want change.
Robbie, yes, these are the supes we deserve until we demand better. Many new educated voices have shown up at the discussion table regarding city issues in the wake of the recent municipal election. The timbre of the discussion seems to have a more balanced and progressive tone in the city these days. Can this enthusiasm be sustained? I believe it can. But, can this enthusiasm be tapped for dealing with county issues as well? I hope so.
Sounds like a cleaning house on the county level deeds to happen like it did in the city. Come on Starkville we need to clean up our County offices as well!
Jim Gafford,
I am not sure what the duties and responsibilities of the Starkville Transportation Committee consist of. Can you give me a synopsis of what the committee does?
I agree without hesitation we need a house cleaning on the supervisor and other levels of county government. This is the reason for candidates coming out for election. The August 2, 2011 primary will be the test of the people. Are the people going to sit back in August and then complain? Not this time! People are tierd of the high taxes (at least I am) and the dusty back roads and the trash that litters our back roads and even some of the paved roads. The supervisors at this time look at the budget like it is a gift to spend as they please and needed items stay undone. It is election time now and road work is being done at this time but, why wait until D-Day to get out and work. Culberts need to be fixed because of flood control, gravel is in the ditches, trash is on the roads, and I could go on and on about the sorry state of affairs. Supervisors are the most powerful people in the state and should be picked for their fiscal responsibility, pride in their county, pride in their work ethic, and most of all pride in a job well done. Another thing a supervisor should think about and it is not who pays the most in taxes or who voted for them. They should be thinking about that little lady on Water Well Road that the ditches had not been cleaned out in the last eight years. The culberts on A.W.Williams road that are open on the down side and not open on the side that catches the water. The bureauracy is such that the left hand literally does not know what the right hand is doing (Bibical-right?).