Senatobia officials are seeking a long-term solution for removing piles of leaves in front of residences in the city.
Some city workers spent Saturday, Jan. 10 – typically a day when the Senatobia Public Works Department is closed – rolling through various neighborhoods gathering leaves that have been sitting on curbs and edges for several weeks.
Stephen Hodges, director of operations for the city, told the Senatobia Board of Aldermen earlier this month, the leaf vac truck is unreliable and expensive to repair.
“We got it out of the shop at the beginning of the month, and it broke down again the same day,” Hodges said. “And parts are almost impossible to find.”
City employees recently used a dump truck to tow the leaf vac to make rounds, but Hodges said doing that on weekdays could hamper garbage pickup since public works only has two drivers with a commercial driver’s license.
“Our only other option is to pick up what we can with the knuckle boom truck when a driver is available,” Hodges added. “But the knuckle boom is not designed for leaves or grass clippings because of the damage it can do to asphalt and lawns.”
Hodges said a new leaf vac mounted to the rear of a truck or trailer would cost the city approximately $100,000 to $150,000.
Aldermen agreed to table the issue and conduct more research before deciding the next step in city leaf removal. Last summer, aldermen tossed around the idea of requiring citizens to bag leaves and lawn clippings before placing them on curbs to make the leaf vac obsolete, but that plan was tabled as well.
In other business, aldermen approved the following:
• Approve docket of claims 41329-41556 for a total of $1,159,206.33.
• Donation of $500.00 from Mrs. M.J. Tindall for police department equipment.
• Donation of $200.00 from members of Senatobia Wal-Mart loss prevention team for police department SWAT team.
• Police Chief Hal Vanderford to attend New Police Chiefs Orientation in Ridgeland on January 1-16 and pay travel expenses.
• Fire Chief Ethan Foresman to attend 2026 Mississippi Executive Fire Officer course.
• Resignation of Police Officer Nicholas Keith effective Dec. 8.
• Hire Josh Crain as full-time certified police officer at the rate of P4 pending background and physical screening results.
• Payment of $115,000 for property at 208 Scott Street for the East Main and Scott Street roundabout project.
• Development Infrastructure Program Grant matching funds resolution and authorize Mayor Graves to sign (MDA DIP Grant, matching funds coming from NI project funds).
• Mayor Graves to sign an engagement letter/agreement with F.O. Givens & Company for 2024 and 2025 audit services.
