LIBERTY — After more than four years of wrangling with landowners over signing easements for a new Swamp Road bridge, Amite County supervisors on Monday directed board attorney Reggie Jones to begin eminent domain proceedings against six holdouts.
Swamp Road is located south of Highway 24 between Peoria and Patterson roads west of McComb. Swamp Road is in District 5, where Max Lawson is supervisor. The old bridge that spanned Hominy Creek and the East Fork of the Amite River washed out in 2008. Since then, discussions have been ongoing about what to do to replace the bridge.
Proponents of the project say the new bridge is needed to avoid an extended detour.
Opponents have argued that the new bridge would destroy the area’s country charm because of its size, which would be much bigger than the prior structure.
Landowners affected by Monday’s decision include Shirley Thomas, Kris Redmann, Evan Thomas, Joni Wilkinson, John Holden and Melanie Williams. The group chose not to sign easements, or a right of way, to their property.
“We’ve done waited long enough,” Supervisor Lawson said. “We’ve been trying to give them a chance. The land has been appraised, which is what they wanted, but they still won’t sign.”
When contacted by the Enterprise-Journal, the landowners declined comment.
The road was originally programmed in 2000. In 2009, cost of the Swamp Road project was estimated to be more than $2 million. The Federal Bridge Replacement Program pays for 80 percent of the cost, while 20 percent of the project comes from State Aid funds.
Jones said a contractor for the project has yet to be named and bids have yet to be let.
Supervisors voted to follow through with eminent domain proceedings in executive session.
Also in executive session, supervisors approved the termination of Solid Waste employee Dwight Tarver and agreed to pay Solid Waste employee John Anderson an additional $500 per month for extra work.
In open session, supervisors:
• Approved travel expenses for coroner Cam Sharp to attend the Winter Coroners Conference at the Jackson Hilton for three days in January.
• Approved tax assessor and collector Eunice Blake’s request for mileage to attend a one-day homestead application workshop in Forrest County this month. Supervisors also approved paying Blake’s 2013 dues for the Mississippi Chapter of International Association of Assessors Officers.
• Approved Sheriff Tim Wroten’s request to purchase Live Scan equipment and software. The equipment will be purchased from a $21,000 Recovery Interest Grant.
• Approved Wroten’s request to send investigators Danny Meaux and Grant McCurley to the one-day analyzing marijuana class in Natchez later this month.
• Approved hiring part-time deputy Rodney Murray. His pay will be paid from the drug fund
• Approved District 4 Supervisor Butch Graves’ request to hire George P. Brown on a part-time basis to cut grass.
• Approved paying $35 dues to the Association of Purchasing and Property Agents for Purchasing Agent Helen Wells.
• Approved travel to a homestead exemption seminar in Raymond for one day in November for chancery clerk Ronny Taylor and deputy clerk Patrice Cook.
