If our own city does it, why should we expect our citizens to do otherwise?

That is the question that ran through my mind last week as I walked along some debris scattered along the banks of St. Catherine Creek at the Natchez Water Treatment Plant.

The mounds of old newspapers, office paperwork, wood, brick, pieces of asphalt roof and twisted metal, it turns out, came from the demolition of the two brick buildings removed to make way for the new hotel.

City officials say it was a mistake. Only stone and block were meant for the river bank, they say.

A miscommunication error resulted in the dumping of the other materials, they said.

As someone who has been involved in the construction industry for a number of years, such situations do not surprise me, especially when it comes to demolition.

One day after the city&8217;s dumping error made the headlines, two arrests were made by the Adams County Sheriff&8217;s Office for dumping construction debris in a bayou off of Cemetery Road.

Land owner Leo Joseph, caught the two depositing the trash on his property Friday.

Unfortunately, it is not the first time Joseph has found trash littering his property. In fact, twice in the last month people have been caught dumping debris on the property.

Most anti-litter advocates agree that one of the most unfortunate things about trash is that it is far easier to throw it away correctly the first time than it is to clean it up the second time.

The same will be true of this situation when crews will now have to go back to the water treatment plant to clean up the mess &8212; a more time and labor consuming task than it would have been in the first place. A task that will cost the city more money in the long run.

The dumping of trash, including construction debris, has become a major problem in the Miss-Lou.

But what makes the city&8217;s situation especially disconcerting is not only that it is possibly illegal, but that it also sets a bad example for its citizens.

In the past few years, The Democrat has written story after story of area residents and elected officials angry about the dumping of trash along roadways. From the creeks that wind through Kingston to the roads in north Adams County, there are numerous examples of this problem that some think is reaching epidemic proportions.

Where is the outrage from our elected officials? Where are the demands from leaders to correct the situation?

More than a week after the demolition of the buildings on the hotel site, the debris lies strewn across the edge of St. Catherine Creek.

No effort has been made so far to rectify the situation as rain shower after rain shower has drenched the pile with water that is now leaching into the creek.

Earlier this year, Mayor Phillip West, former mayor Tony Byrne and other local officials gathered at the edge of St. Catherine Creek to discuss the possibility of damming the creek in order to create a recreational area out of the stream that surrounds the east and south boundaries of the city.

The idea was first proposed in the early 80s as an effort to create an attractive development that is both economically and environmentally profitable.

When completed, officials hope the plan will increase property values and create recreational opportunities that will attract new residents and business for years to come.

So which is it?

Is St. Catherine Creek a wonderful opportunity for economic development or is it a dumping ground?

As long as the trash lies along the banks of St. Catherine, it is hard to tell where the city stands on the issue.

The problem is, citizens are watching.

Ben Hillyer

is the visual editor of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3552 or

ben.hillyer@natchezdemocat.com

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