“Wait. Please stop right there. We don’t bash Alliance. That’s not what we do here, so I’ll ask you to stop there, respectfully.”—Jimmy Don Kerr, Martin County Utility Board chairman

BY LISA STAYTON
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Two residents of Inez, Tena Jarrell and Drewie Muncy, expressed dissatisfaction with the Martin County Sanitation Board during a public comment session May 23. Both have paid for sewer services that they never received. However, one of the residents was abruptly silenced by the board chairman when the chairman anticipated negative remarks about the sewer district.

Tena Jarrell, a resident in the Inez City limits, was the first to address the board, stating that she had not been connected to the sewer system but had paid a monthly bill for the last year. She expressed frustration at having to pay Dirtyworks, a private company, to pump the septic holding tank on her camper while also paying for the city sewer service.

The board had instructed Jarrell in a previous meeting to locate a septic tank allegedly on her property. Despite efforts to locate the tank, no one has found it.

Alliance manager Craig Miller said he and his crew had looked for the tank and could not find it.

“There was a lot of grown-up brush and stuff, and I wasn’t going to ask our guys to wade through the weeds because it’s a customer side issue,” Miller said.

Jarrell told the board that she recently purchased a bush hog and paid workers to cut weeds on the property.

“It’s still a customer-side issue,” reiterated Miller.

Board member BJ Slone asked Miller to explain.

“She wanted to be tied into the sewer,” said Miller. “So, we said, ‘You have to locate your tank, and then we can look.’ The ordinance says that she has to have a tank she ties into. And we tie into the tank.”

Miller told Jarrell, “If you don’t have one, you’ll have to buy a tank.”

“Well, why am I paying for city sewer?” asked Jarrell.

“The county ordinance says that you’re supposed to hook up to it if it’s there,” sanitation board chairman Jimmy Don Kerr told Jarrell.

Following the meeting, Jarrell told the Mountain Citizen that she purchased her property and moved a camper on it with plans to buy a mobile home. She signed up for water and sewer service a year ago and has paid a monthly sewer bill since then, in addition to paying a private company to pump the septic holding tank on her camper.

Jarrell obtained a copy of the original City of Inez sewer system map showing two city-installed septic tanks on the property. Those tanks were installed as part of the system construction in the 1980s, which, according to customer contracts and the sanitation district’s attorney Brian Cumbo, the sanitation district must maintain.

Cumbo advised in a public meeting in November 2022, “It was originally a system where everybody got a septic tank, and the gray water coming from the septic tank was what was treated by the system.”

Kerr told the Citizen in an interview Friday, “The property address previously had a sewer bill attached to it. Anytime someone signs for new service, it is automatically assigned.”

The Martin County Water District tariff does not require a customer to sign up for sewer service or pay a sewer bill to get water service. The Martin County Sanitary Sewer District ordinance does not specify any terms of service between the sanitation district and customers.

“I just draw a pension,” Jarrell told the Citizen. “I can’t afford to spend $1,000 for a septic tank.”

Chairman shuts down Muncy’s comment

Inez resident Drewie Muncy, who last month told the board that he had paid a bill for the last 12 years for sewer service that he did not have, spoke during the meeting May 23.

Muncy returned with a statement from the Martin County Health Department certifying that he had an approved private septic system on land he owns but does not occupy on Saltwell.

Kerr advised Muncy that the billing office had corrected his account and he would not receive a sewer bill in the future.

“I thank you for that,” Muncy said. “In regards to the other situation, I’ve been paying a sewer bill for an extended number of years. … I would like to be reimbursed for the money I have paid over the years.”

Muncy pointed out that he had been told that his water service would be terminated if he did not pay the sewer bill.

“When Alliance leaves this country, we still live here,” said Muncy. “We still are neighbors. So let’s not forget that.

“If it’s right to take money from people without service, then there’s no problem. But if it’s not right to take money for service and not provide the service….”

Muncy drew an analogy to highlight the issue, recounting a story about an Indian boy with a bird in his hand. He urged the board to decide what was right in this situation and thanked them for their time.

Kerr told Muncy the board had been unable to locate a contract, and he did not know if reimbursing him was something the board could do.

“Financially, we’re broke,” said Kerr, adding that he had personally agreed to pay a minimum monthly bill in exchange for the district installing a tap, grinder pump and equipment at his property at the district’s own expense when the system was extended outside Inez City limits.

“I would not be in favor of giving you credit toward your future bills,” said Kerr.

After Cumbo advised Kerr that he could not give a legal opinion before researching the law, Kerr suggested he and Muncy sit down together and have a private conversation.

“That would serve no purpose without the board. The board is the one that has to make the decision,” said Muncy calmly. “I feel I’ve been singled out by Mr. Miller, do not know his input, do not know if the board has discussed this in a quorum outside the public meeting—”

Interrupting, Kerr held out his hand toward Muncy and said, “Wait. Please stop right there. We don’t bash Alliance. That’s not what we do here, so I’ll ask you to stop there, respectfully.”

The other board members sat quietly, allowing Kerr to prevent Muncy’s comment. However, after Muncy thanked the board again for their time and left the floor, board member Greg Crum voiced his support for Kerr’s action.

Regarding the First Amendment that states the government cannot prevent citizens from redress of grievances or “bashing,” Kerr told the newspaper, “I feel good about how I handled it.”