By Rupert Howell
A decision to allow property between Batesville and Sardis owned by the Seay family to be used as a gravel/sand mining operation with wash plant and crusher was again tabled after District Five Supervisor Cole Flint said he was getting mixed signals from APAC officials concerning amount of material to be hauled through local municipalities.
Panola County’s Land Use Commission approved the special exception in their October meeting; however, that decision was appealed to the Panola supervisor board last month when it was first tabled until the Monday, December 14 meeting.
Flint said conflicting reports on the amount of materials to be hauled through municipalities was his reasoning to postpone making a decision.
Flint also questioned the number of entrances to the proposed operation last month, noting that one was mentioned, while there would actually be three with the Harris Road intersection that the proposed entryway would bisect.
Although a straw poll seemed to split supervisors 3-2 in favor of the operation, that number could flip-flop next month when a new member of the board, District Four supervisor-elect Donald Phelps, comes aboard replacing supervisor Kelly Morris.
APAC officials came armed with an attorney to Monday’s session.
Nolan West, who has objected to the Commission’s approval of special exception and who has property that APAC once sought for a similar operation, was also present during the District Two meeting in Batesville.
The decision will again be discussed at the Second District meeting in Batesville held at 9 a.m the second Monday, January 11 at the courthouse. That decision can be appealed by either party to the Circuit Court and then to the Mississippi Supreme Court.