DeSoto supervisors to wade into weed and flood action, get Earth Day reports

May 04--The DeSoto Board of Supervisors on Monday will tackle an agenda that includes ongoing cleanup of an overgrown property, an upbeat report on the April 26Earth Day celebration and consideration of a flood damage prevention ordinance and updated flood map.

"We're so excited," County Administrator Vanessa Lynchard said of initial feedback on the fourth annual county Earth Day celebration on the DeSoto Courthouse square in Hernando. "We feel it generated the largest turnout so far. It was educational and fun, and through the exhibits people could see evidence of how their tax dollars were going for environmental programs in every jurisdiction."

Pat McLeod, county administrative services director, will report on exhibits and sponsors, Matt Hanks of Geographical Information Services will report on a geocache "Cache In, Trash Out" event and Ray Laughter, county Environmental Services manager, will report on the eight-day countywide rubbish cleanup that started on Earth Day and other activities.

As to Earth Day attendance, "the number we're kicking around is about 2,000 people," said Laughter, a member of the planning team. "That's all day long, starting with the Hernando Farmers Market. It's by far the biggest crowd we've ever had."

Laughter and Lynchard praised community involvement that ranged from DeSoto County's five cities, nonprofits and utility-energy firms to the Sheriff's Department, DeSoto County Schools, the county Soil and Water Conservation District and the Mississippi State Extension Service.

And now it's time to plant the seeds for 2015: "It'll be our fifth year, so we want to make Earth Day bigger and better," said Laughter."

He said a planning session is slated for May 14 "to set the date and start reaching out."

At a litter ordinance violation hearing Monday, Laughter and environmental specialist Craig Howell will present the county's case for again entering an unoccupied home site at 3770 Byhalia Road in the Hernando area for a cleanup. A finding has been made that the property "is in such a state of uncleanliness as to be a menace to the public health and safety," according to documents to be submitted.

"We're using the Mississippi Code statute to get back on this property," said Laughter. "We were there in September for a cleanup; now it's mostly overgrown grass."

Laughter said the property was the object of a tax sale, "but there's still some uncertainty as to who the owner is. Meanwhile, it's something that we have to take care of, and we'll be keeping a close eye on it."

DeSoto Planning Department director Ted Garrod will present for the board's consideration an order of adoption of a flood damage prevention ordinance.

The matter is part of the process for approval of an amendment to Chapter 14 of the DeSoto Zoning Regulation, Subdivision III Flood Hazard Reduction (Flood Plain Management and Flood Damage Prevention). Also up for airing is the new Flood Insurance Rate Map and related flood-base elevations.

"It's time for us to officially adopt the new flood map," said Lynchard, noting a process through the Federal Emergency Management Agency that comes up every several years. "These actions will qualify the area for federal flood insurance as well as better identify flood-prone places."

The supervisors meet at 9 a.m. Monday in their third-floor hearing room at the County Administration Building at 365 Losher Street in downtown Hernando. To view a complete agenda, go online to the DeSoto website desotocountyms.gov.

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