Enterprise-Journal
County, municipal and state officials got together Thursday to address ways to combat Pike County’s “atrocious” litter problem, starting with picking up trash on Interstate 55 on Tuesday, March 22.
Present in the meeting at the Mississippi Department of Transportation auditorium in McComb were officials from the county sheriff’s and road departments, town of Summit, McComb and Magnolia, and MDOT.
Each agency will provide workers to pick up litter in two-mile segments on I-55 north and south, with March 29 slated as a backup day in case of rain.
Officials decided not to seek citizens’ help due to potential traffic danger on the interstate.
The MDOT will post message boards and block lanes, while law enforcement vehicles will be present as well.
“I have been bombarded” with litter complaints, said Sheriff James Brumfield, adding, “It is atrocious out there.”
Brumfield said he hopes this will be the start of a broader effort.
“We want to clean up the interstate, but you’ve got 700 miles of Pike County roads you’ve got the same thing,” he said.
MDOT district maintenance engineer Matthew Dugas suggested doing something once a quarter.
Meanwhile, other litter control programs are already ongoing.
“I work my guys five days a week picking up litter,” said county road superintendent Wendell Alexander, estimating two crews collect five to 10 tons a week.
“You can pick up a road today and go back a week later and it’s nearly the same as it was,” he said.
The county maintenance barn on Highway 51 North, Magnolia, is a collection point for waste tires and white goods (appliances), as is the McComb Public Works headquarters.
McComb Mayor Quordiniah Lockley said his city has a strong litter control effort, including an Adopt-a-Street program and trash pickups in each ward.
MDOT litter prevention coordinator Daphne Scott said MDOT will hold a “trash bash” pickup on Highway 98 in early April. Scott also speaks to schoolchildren as part of the state’s “Don’t Trash Mississippi” campaign.
Summit councilman Joe Lewis said he will bring the issue to a town council meeting for more ideas.
Officials suggested publicizing the county’s $750 litter fine, whether in a newspaper ad or on a billboard.
Brumfield acknowledged litter may not seem like a high priority given recent incidents, including a drive-by shooting Sunday night in McComb, a baby killed Monday and a shootout Wednesday night in Magnolia.
“Y’all see what happened this weekend in our county,” Brumfield said. “These officers are running like crazy. We need to instill pride in our citizens.”
