NATCHEZ, Miss. – Adams County Supervisor Kevin Wilson said the state auditor is scrutinizing the garbage contract his colleagues approved earlier this month with a Louisiana company he alleged is not properly registered in Mississippi.
However, the company can operate in the state, but its owners are personally responsible for the business’ debts and legal liabilities because they haven’t registered it with the state as a limited liability company, said Adams County board attorney Scott Slover.
Wilson – who’s against the hiring of United Infrastructure Services to collect trash for the county’s 5,500 households –- said Monday that state Auditor Shad White’s office is reviewing the deal the Adams County Board of Supervisors made with the New Orleans-based company. As he raised his concerns during the county board’s Monday meeting, Wilson did not elaborate on what would prompt the auditor’s investigation.
The state auditor’s purview includes government management practices, suspected fiscal violations or misspent funds as it ensures public funds are legally and efficiently spent.
The contract the board approved two weeks ago has the county paying about $1.8 million in the coming 12 months for United Infrastructure Services to haul out household trash, according to Slover. That’s up from the previous 12-month cost of $1.1 million.
The $26.66 monthly rate United is charging per household is up from the $19 Adams County supervisors paid in a temporary contract they inked with the company in January as the board sought bidders for a long-term contract.
The three supervisors who voted for the new contract say it’s a reasonable increase to ensure twice-a-week pickup for the Adams County residents living outside Natchez. Supervisors Warren Gaines, Angela Hutchins and Ricky Gray voted for the contract, but no action has been taken to increase the $15 that Adams County residents are actually charged monthly per household for the service.
Wilson and Supervisor Wes Middleton pushed to reduce garbage-collection costs by reverting to once-a-week pickups and to do more negotiations with United and competitor Arrow Disposal Service.
They’ve expressed qualms about hiring United, which is run by the same operators of Metro Services Group – the garbage company that served Adams County since 2018 but went bankrupt last October.
Metro’s troubles late last year had it going days without collecting some Adams County residents’ garbage. It emerged from bankruptcy and reorganized to become United Infrastructure Services.
Metro has been among the South’s leading Black-owned businesses. Its co-founder and chief executive Jimmie Woods sits on the LSU Board of Supervisors.
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