Two Sundays ago, when everyone was safe inside watching what the winter weather was bringing to Natchez, an entire team of city workers had already been outside in freezing conditions for hours, preparing for the worst while we all prayed for the best. I call them our “First, First Responders” – the hardworking men who wear the uniform of Natchez Public Works. And it’s time they received their due.
During my first seven months in office, as we dealt with two hurricanes in the fall of 2020 and a historic ice storm in February of 2021, I learned very quickly just how important these public servants are to our city. If a tree falls, it is a PW Crewmember who has to cut it up and clear the road before anyone else can pass. It doesn’t matter if it is fire or police, sheriff or ambulance – if Public Works isn’t on the job clearing the street, no one is getting past. And in a city as old and as beautiful as Natchez, that is one thing we have in abundance: trees. And oh, how they have fallen, multiple times and in multiple storms. In every situation, our PW Department, consisting of about 15 strong and dependable crew members, has exceeded all expectations. I am not sure that anyone can operate a chainsaw as quickly or as safely as them, and time after time they prove that they are more than up to the task. Over the past two weeks they have been working – six different crews with dump trucks and trailers in every neighborhood of our city to get Natchez clean. And with assistance from state prisoners and Meridan Waste, I anticipate Natchez will be back to normal in no time.
Keeping a city going requires a lot of teamwork, and in Natchez – Adams County, we are blessed to have a fantastic “First Responder Team”. Our Police and Sheriff Departments work well together to keep us safe. Our Fire Department, working both in the city and with volunteers in the county over the years have saved multiple structures, and more importantly, multiple lives. AMR and Pafford are great team members, along with Natchez Water Works, Entergy, Southwest Electric, and all other emergency agencies and personnel, not the least of which is our Adams County Emergency Management agency. It serves as the glue that holds us all together in times of crisis.
Without our dedicated crew members in Natchez Public Works, however, and also the Adams County Road Department, our First Responder Team would be like a truck missing a front wheel. During the early hours of every storm, they are out working to clear storm debris in all areas of the city and county. They truly are the “First” First Responders. And when it comes to daily maintenance, I honestly don’t know how they do it all. From grass cutting to street and road repairs, clearing ditches, gutters and drains, maintaining public property, maintaining all types of vehicles and equipment, keeping Natchez beautiful, and constantly battling the litter problems that seem to plague all communities these days, their plate is full every day. We are fortunate to have them also to have Justin Dollar, Director of Natchez Public Works and his father Robbie
Dollar, who leads the County Road Department. I shared at a recent meeting of our emergency team members that we are blessed to have “two dollars for the price of one” – and while funny it happens to be the truth!
In the days and weeks to come, I hope everyone affected by the recent winter storm will report damage, large and small, to our Adams County Emergency Management department by visiting www.adamscountyms.net/county-departments/emergency-management and clicking the “Report Damages” button. It could help qualify our area for much-needed state and federal funds.
But in the meantime, take a moment to thank a Public Works Crewmember. Honk and give them a friendly wave when you see them. Buy them a coke. Drop off some donuts, a few pizzas or boxes of food for lunch. Their main office is located at 233 1/2 D’Evereux Drive. The county road department is located at 337 Liberty Road. We are grateful to have these public servants working so hard to keep our city clean and safe. Because Natchez Deserves More.
Comments