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NATCHEZ — A Natchez insurance agency general manager is at a loss as to how to help one of her clients who recently was involved in an accident with a garbage truck in Adams County.

She says the garbage company operating the truck, which is contracted by the Adams County Board of Supervisors to collect garbage, is not properly insured.

Melissa Adams is an agent and general manager of the American Insurance Co. office in Natchez. One of her clients was in a recent accident with a garbage truck operated by United Infrastructure of Louisiana LLC.

“During the process of trying to assist our client to file a claim, I got a copy of the accident report from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, but that accident report listed no insurance,” Adams said. “I called United Infrastructure and got in touch with Andre Menzies, who said he was an owner and CEO of the company. And that’s where the confusion started.”

Several months ago, Jimmy Woods spoke to the Adams County Board of Supervisors and said he was chief executive officer of United Infrastructure.

On Linkedin, a business website, Andre Menzies is listed as a safety manager at Metro Service Group of New Orleans.

Adams said the MDOT number on the truck is recorded as belonging to Metro Service Group.

Metro Service Group is the bankrupt company that was the predecessor of United Infrastructure of Louisiana LLC, which the county now contracts with for garbage collection.

“I requested proof of insurance. They sent over a certificate dated the day of the accident for United Infrastructure Group of Louisiana LLC, but the certificate was for commercial general liability. It has no automobile liability for the garbage truck,” she said.

“I called the agent listed on the insurance certificate from Alliant Insurance Service Inc. of New Orleans, but the agent has never responded. I have called and emailed the agent and still have no response,” Adams said.

In a subsequent call, Adams said Menzies said the company is self-insured.

“Unfortunately, that is illegal in the state of Mississippi for the type of waste they are hauling,” Adams claims. “Menzies said they were going to pay for the damages to the insured. We have an estimate of the damages and we have sent that to them but we haven’t gotten any further response out of them.”

Adams, who lives in the county’s fifth district, called her county supervisor, Warren Gaines.

“I expressed my concern and frustration in trying to help my client. And I explained the circumstances that they were under contract with the county, but they could not provide adequate proof of insurance. I caught Mr. Gaines out of the blue, I understand that, and he said he would have to get with the board and with county attorney Scott Slover.”

Adams attended the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and discussed the situation with the supervisors.

“The certificate of insurance provided by Mr. Menzies is completely inadequate by federal and state laws,” Adams said. “I looked up the Department of Transportation number and the DOT has no record of any active vehicles for United Infrastructure. The only valid number was for Metro Services Group, and it states they are to operate intrastate only. They are not authorized to operate in Mississippi.”

Adams said at present her client’s car remains unrepaired and she has gotten no further response from anyone at United Infrastructure of Louisiana LLC.

County Attorney Scott Slover, contacted Friday afternoon, said supervisors asked him to get proof of insurance from United Infrastructure after Adams spoke to the board, and that the company has provided that.

“Yes, we have proof of insurance,” Slover said. “I believe it is within the guidelines (of the contract).”