When the public gets involved in the care and maintenance of public property, that property tends to fare better than others.

That was the sentiment shared by Pearl River County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin during Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

Discussion of the mater came up when Lumpkin said that community members expressed interest in installing a little library at the Carriere walking track. Those same people said they would also paint and put QR codes on the trash cans so visitors to the track can scan the code, which will take them to a website with information about the detriments of littering.

“Anytime we can get people involved in the parks, it’s a good thing,” Lumpkin said.

Once a month those volunteers will go to the park and make any required repairs as well.

A group of individuals who would do the same thing at the McNeill walking track is in the process of being formed. Lumpkin said the previous group who did that work has stepped away from the responsibility, but efforts are underway to put a new younger group of people into that role.

In another matter, District II Supervisor Malcolm Perry asked his fellow supervisors how to address a road that is not on the county road list, but has been maintained by the county for the past 30 to 40 years. He said the road is a 500 foot section of John Ramsey Road. Currently the road needs some minor repair work and ditch maintenance. Lumpkin said that section of the road is not on the county index, and the section in question has two homes on it. He asked that all of the supervisors gather a list of roads with similar issues so the Board can handle all of those matters at once. So far the consensus seemed to be to add that section of John Ramsey Road to the county road index since it has been maintained by the county for so long.

The County is expected to receive bids for cleaning services soon, leading Perry to ask if the Board can rejects bids from companies that the county has worked with in the past, but did unsatisfactory work.

Board attorney Joe Montgomery said the Board can study the bids and make recommendations based on past performance. However, Montgomery said he will double check the law on bidding processes to see if the Board can reject a bid based on a company’s inability to perform the work.