County officials have no plans to enter into an agreement with the city of  Meridian to form a controversial new water and wastewater district.

    District Three Supervisor Josh Todd made his feelings known about such a partnership when he made a motion Monday to not enter into any such agreement.

    The Meridian City Council has discussed forming a water and wastewater district that would create a board to handle all water and wastewater issues in the city. The board would have the authority to ask for up to 2 mills in taxes, and would handle all billing for water and sewer services.

    The proposal was put forward to allow the city to make infrastructure improvements to water and sewer services that it currently cannot afford to pay for. A water and wastewater district would have bonding authority.

    If Lauderdale County officials wanted to enter into the agreement with the city of Meridian to become part of the district, they could do so, or they could opt to stay out of it.

    That’s what Todd wanted to make clear when he brought up the subject at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday. The item was not on the agenda, but he brought up the subject near the close of the meeting.

    At a recent public hearing hosted by the city of Meridian, county residents made their opposition to the proposal clear.

    “When that many people speak, you have to listen,” Todd said, adding that he had given the matter a lot of thought and prayer. He has talked to members of the county’s rural water associations and he stands with them.

    “I didn’t see any need of it going on any longer,” Todd said. “There’s been a lot of speculation out there. One way to ease everybody’s minds and let them know where you stand is to speak it. So that’s what I did.”

    However, he does not oppose the city doing what they need to do, without the county’s involvement.

    “If they want to create a water board or water association, a water district or whatever you want to call it, that is up to them,” Todd said. “If the town of Marion wants to do it, it’s up to them. I just wanted to make clear that I and us, as the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors, was not going to be involved in that. I will not put that burden on the people of Lauderdale County.”

    “I think that we have the best rural water associations, we have the best quality of water in the state of Mississippi,” Todd said. “I don’t think we need to jeopardize that in any way.”

    The remaining supervisors voted in favor of Todd’s motion, with the exception of Joe Norwood, who abstained from the vote.

    Also on Monday, the board voted to hire Allan Raines as flood plain compliance officer. The newly created position is part-time at 20 hours per week and was created to make sure that all new construction and remodeling projects are in compliance with flood plain regulations. The flood plain compliance officer will be in charge of county projects that are not in the city of Meridian or the town of Marion.

    Cathy Lummus, flood plain administrator, said one of the reasons the county needs a compliance officer is because houses have been built in the flood plain and that puts the county’s flood insurance at risk.

    “What people don’t realize is if one person in Lauderdale County builds in a flood zone without coming into compliance with our flood ordinance, it puts the whole county’s flood insurance in jeopardy,” Lummus said. “People think, ‘Well I can do it on my property. It’s not going to affect anybody else.’ That’s not true. If we get caught with one violation they will take the county’s overall flood insurance away. That means that anybody with a loan on their property, their loan would be called in because you have to have flood insurance if you’re in a flood zone. If the county is not eligible for flood insurance, they cannot get flood insurance and their loan would be called in.”

    Moreover, she said if the county does not enforce its flood ordinance, it would not be eligible for any federal money during a disaster of any kind.

    “We have lost our flood insurance in the past and we don’t want to do that again,” Lummus said.

    There is no cost associated with finding out if a piece of property is in a flood plain, she said. It is simply a matter of calling the office and giving the address of the property. People have purchased property in the past with the intention to build without finding out if it’s in a flood plain only to find out later that it is.

    “Our flood ordinance requires that any new construction, whether it’s additions or new construction, remodeling, repairs, even grading, must have a permit,” Lummus said. “The only thing we’re checking for is if it’s in a flood zone. As long as it’s not in a flood zone the permit is issued and you’re on your way.”

    If it is in the flood zone, there are various steps to take to get into compliance, she said.

    “That’s the whole reason behind the permit,” she said. “It’s strictly to enforce our flood ordinance.”

    Some work does not require a permit, she said.

    “You don’t have to have a permit if you’re strictly putting roofing on,” Lummus said. “Painting, new roof, carpet, that kind of thing you do not have to have a permit for. It’s strictly structural changes that you would need a permit for.”

    A new storage building outside, a room addition or deck would need a permit, she said.

    “If you put a playhouse in the flood zone. If you’re in a flood zone, when water comes up that building becomes floatable and it can float off into someone else’s property and do damage to someone else’s property. Even air conditioners and gas tanks have to be elevated or strapped down in a flood zone because they can float off.”

    Even though the county passed rules on flood zone permits 20 years ago, many people are unaware of it, she said.

    “There’s a lot of construction going on that does not have permits,” Lummus said. “So that’s why we’re getting a compliance officer.”

    For more information contact Lummus at (601) 484-3992. The office is located at 1300 26th Ave., in the old Bell South building in downtown Meridian.