During a kick-off luncheon at Parker-Hannafin last Thursday, community director Connie Snell signed up 16 teams for the annual walk.

This year’s event will take place April 21, on the walking track at Tiger Stadium.

"Last year’s walk was the first one we held at Tiger Stadium, and it went very well," Snell said. "They were very accommodating, and supportive of this event."

For those unfamiliar with March of Dimes, the national campaign is premature births.

"Prematurity is a silent crisis in America," the website states. "The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign is a multi-year, multi-million dollar research, awareness and education campaign to help families have healthier babies."

During the 2006 Walk America event, $24,000 was raised to help the organization, and Snell believes the goal of $25,000 for the 2007 walk is attainable.

"We aren’t increasing the goal by all that much," she said. "Plus, this year, we are combining the Batesville and Oxford events into one."

Snell did say she would like to see more teams sign up for the walk.

"We have 16 teams already committed," she said. "That’s a good start, but we need to get more support for the event."

Anyone interested in forming a team for the Walk America event can contact Snell at 662-844-6901 for more information.

"Anyone who wants to sign up just needs to give me a call, and I will be happy to put an information packet in the mail to them," she said.

Supervisors agreed to consult with the county’s engineer Larry Britt and attorney Bill McKenzie to determine the feasibility and legality of any solution for a drainage problem at the home of Anthony Rudd who lives near the Cold Springs Community in Supervisor’s District 1.

Rudd pleaded with board members for relief but was initially told that his trailer home was located in a "hole" and would always have a water problem. Different board members and County Road Manager Lygunnah Bean noted that the water was draining through the site prior to Rudd’s living there.

Rudd said contaminant draining from other nearby homes of higher ground was killing animals that he was raising and later explained he raises dogs.

Bean explained that it would be unlawful for the county to work on private property after Rudd offered a suggestion that the water flow could be changed with bulldozer work.
 

Crenshaw’s municipal water system customers got bad news on two fronts recently with a 0.7 rating out of a possible 5.0 rating in an annual inspection and the decision by certified water operator Michael Purdy not to accept a contract to provide periodic water testing.

The low rating in the annual water system inspection on Jan. 10, 2007, by health department engineer Jeff Williams cited problems in technical, managerial and financial aspects of its operation.

Among inspection highlights regarding the technical aspects of its operation:

• No chlorine present at the time of inspection;
   
• A backup generator that is inoperable because it needs a new battery;
   
• A need for cleaning and painting of the elevated water storage tank as well as the area around the tank;
   
• Only one of three wells on the town systems was in operation at the time of the inspection. A town employee told Williams that the well "is the only well that has been operating for the last few months."
   
• The paragraph detailing the lack of chlorine also recorded injury to Crenshaw employee Larry Cotton, who was exposed to chlorine gas in an accident on Jan. 2, 2007. Cotton had been working with a chlorine cylinder at the time of the accident. The health department inspection recommended a self-contained breathing apparatus be located at the plant for employee protection.

In other areas, the health department official recommended:

• Tracking water loss and usage;
   
• Enforcement of cut-off for customers who do not pay water bills. "There are several customers that have not paid their water bills for the last few months but continue to receive water," the report stated.
   
• A gate and door at well number 2 were left open. "This is considered a system deficiency," the report stated.
   
• The report also noted the system’s lack of a certified water operator. Michael Purdy had been selected as the town’s certified operator, but Purdy said Monday he was not going to accept the contract.

Purdy appeared at a special called meeting of Crenshaw’s mayor and aldermen on Friday, Jan. 26 and attempted to discuss his findings as well as the health department inspection report. Crenshaw Mayor Sylvester Reed told Purdy that he could not discuss the findings because "that wasn’t on the agenda." Town attorney Mary Brown agreed with the mayor, stating that the meeting’s agenda included only discussion of Purdy’s contract.

Purdy said he decided not to accept the contract "after the mayor pulled his stunt. It’s not worth me losing my license," he said.

The two positive comments in the water inspection reports released Jan. 27 included mention of town clerk Renee Ward who "is doing an excellent job of maintaining the current records she has received from our office," Williams’ report stated and that "no pressure problems were reported."