JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – People of Ward 3 expressed concerns about the effects the fleet of garbage trucks will have on the Georgetown community.
People in Ward 3 are both displeased and concerned about the placement of Richard’s Disposal’s fleet of garbage trucks being housed at Hawkins Field Airport.
“It’s already bad that the airport won’t clean their property so they have water flooding the community. the water floods me out in the front and the back so what’s going to happen when the water starts running off of that waste? Isn’t that kind of hazardous,” said community member Marcus Branson.
Members of the community fear it could become a health risk.
“I don’t want to come outside and the next thing you know I got six toes growing. My grandkids trying to play in the yard and I’m scared to let them touch dirt or mud because it’s contaminated. That’s wrong,” said Branson.
Those who have been living in the area for generations say they’re worried about the future of their property.
” I’m in my grandmother’s house, that house has been there since 1953/1954. I’m in it now and I want to leave it to my grandchildren but not if it’s going to have garbage,” said homeowner Ozella Davis.
Councilman Stokes feels the decision to house the trucks at the airport is unlawful stating the decision was made by an understaffed airport board.
“There’s only three out of five board members. How are you going to make a decision without a full board? We feel that because the people here are poor people without a lot of money and education that they were just going to sit back quietly and let this happen to them,” said Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes.
Councilman Stokes said he’s already taken action by alerting the department of environmental quality.
“We want MDEQ to come and do their job. We want FFA to do their job. We want all these alphabets and agencies to come and treat the citizens over in this community like you would if you said we were going to put these garbage trucks in Fondren, Belhaven, Eastover. You wouldn’t allow it, don’t allow it in these neighborhoods.”
“It’s an easy solution. Get that stuff from around here because we don’t want it. Put it in someone else’s neighborhood,” said Branson.
Attorney Deshun Martin also attended the town hall to explain what’s next in the case between the mayor and city council.
Councilman Stokes said if MDEQ or the FFA fails to respond to the communities request, they will began picketing outside of the agencies.