By Josh Troy
Clarksdale Advocate
The Coahoma County Road Department works 24 hours a day to make sure conditions are safe for everyone.
According to Coahoma County Road Manager Otis Griffin, when the ice storm hit the area two weeks ago and residents lost power, the road department cleaned up the ice for the next 30 to 48 hours. The Board of Supervisors extended the state of emergency from the ice storm another 30 days at the Feb. 6 meeting. However, the road department cleaned up the ice, and County Administrator Kim Seals recognized employees for their hard work during Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
“The Coahoma County Road Department is excellent,” she said. “They are outstanding and always out moving around in the community. During the ice storm two weeks ago, they worked around the clock 24 hours to ensure no wires or trees were down. My road department and my road manager are outstanding. The Coahoma County Road Department is always one of the best departments in the County.”
Griffin said the road department is still picking up debris from the storm and talked about the process that went into cleaning up the ice. “What we do is we monitor the weather, and it’s something that is called preparation, especially when it’s going to be ice or snow,” he said. “We have to make sure that bridges are salted down along with slab rock. We’re out riding, checking if the roads are travelable. We’re up all times of the night and through the night, especially when the ice and all that is out.”
PHOTO CUTLINE: In back, from left, District 2 Supervisor Pat David, District 4 Supervisor and Board President Johnny Newson, District 1 Supervisor Paul Pearson, and District 5 Supervisor Roosevelt Lee recognize the Coahoma County Road Department for their work during the ice storm. In back, from left, are road department employees Jarvis Cole, Ronald Morris, manager Otis Griffin, Anthony Butler, and Dwight Brown.
