The Board of Supervisors has flagrantly violated the trust of the people that elected them.

The preliminary actions concerning the building of a correctional facility in the county have evidently been kept from the public for months while secret negotiations have been taking place by those trying to move the project forward to a point that it cannot be stopped by the public input.

And legislation has been introduced and voted on that makes it legal for the City of Natchez to furnish sewer services to the prison.

A prerequisite to annexation could be rearing its ugly head again.

At the time this was carried out, very little — if any — communication to the public had been undertaken. A discussion with one supervisor indicates he was not even aware of the delegation asking for the state support until it was in its final stages.

This has already passed the House and the Senate is scheduled to vote in the very near future and is expected to pass, according to The Democrat article dated Wednesday, March 21.

All this has been made public during the past several weeks. The opposition now has a very limited time frame, of approximately one month to accumulate 1,500 qualified elector signatures to force the proposition to be added to the ballot.

Petitions are being circulated by individuals and are located at the following businesses that have agreed to help with the effort:

Wells Produce, Pruitt’s Used Cars, Old South Pawn Shop, Wayne’s Auto, Atkins Lumber, Bluff City Satellites, Rayburn Drilling, Anderson Oil Co., Texies’ Beauty Shop, House of Cycles, Whiteheads Culverts, Gene’s Tires, Peddlers Outdoors, Spanky’s Storage, Super Auto Glass, Gamberi’s Feed, Discount Tobacco, Ethridge Hardware, Bumper to Bumper, NAPA, Natchez Electric, Ram Rental, Molasses Flats, Kaiser’s 61N, Kaiser’s 61S, River Gate Bowl, Barrack’s Pawn Shop, Whites T&J, Toy Shop 61S, All Electric 61S, Rogers Lawn & Garden, Miss Lou Steel, Christine & Henry’s, Mr. Whiskers 61S, Wilson’s Oilfield Supply 61S, Percy’s Radiator Service, Otto’s Custom Trailers and Natchez Custom Paint& Body.

This project has been unfairly presented as being in the best interest of Adams County.

Information received from others in Kansas and elsewhere in the past several days does not reflect the same opinions.

Many states have elected to try different scenarios concerning locating prisons and many have not been happy with the results. Adams County may be in the latter category if the people do not take a stand now.

The public deserves to be involved and should have been from the start rather than having to react defensively.

There is an immediate need to educate these politicians that they still work for and are elected by the voters.

This attempt to circumvent the process for whatever their reasons is fraudulent at best. These officials are planning on spending your tax dollars to bring this prison to Adams County.

Declining property values and the safety of the population in the vicinity are valid concerns.

The voters are entitled to information in advance that pertains to such a controversial proposal, and those that worked so hard to eliminate the voting public from the equation should not be rewarded for their efforts.

The voters have the power to make their feelings known about who should be in charge. Please exercise your right to vote by adding your name to one of the petitions.

Signing the petition does not mean that you are for or against the proposal, only that you the individual are requesting that the proposal be added to the ballot for a “yes” or “no” vote.

Call me at 601-446-5143 for more information.

Charles Wheat is a member of the Concerned Adams County Residents who are circulating the petition.