Bruce Mayor Rudy Pope attended Monday’s Yalobusha County supervisor meeting in Water Valley to gauge support for a potential “Rails to Trails” project on the 21-mile stretch of abandoned railroad right-of-way that stretches from Coffeeville to Bruce.
“Rails to Trails” projects convert abandoned railroad right-of-ways to bicycle and walking trails.
Yalobusha and Calhoun each own the portion of the 21-mile, 100-foot right-of-way in the respective counties after the land was donated in 2011. Shortly after the donation, the counties entered an inter-local agreement establishing the Skuna Valley Trails District in case future funding became available for the project.
Yalobusha County Economic Development Director Bob Tyler and Bruce Mayor Rudy Pope discuss funding options for the trail.
Supervisor Frank “Bubba” Tillman explained Yalobusha supervisors have expressed support for converting the old railroad bed to a rails to trails project. But Tillman added the project is a long shot because of funding. Pope explained an 80-20 grant is likely attainable to finance the project.
“The 20% is upkeep, security, all that kind of stuff,” Pope said, adding that funding the 20% matching portion of the grant may be too costly. Pope also said the counties can only raise the millage a quarter of one mill to fund the project.
“There is a chance to get the U.S. Corps of Engineers to do the upkeep on that trail. If they can do that, then we might have a shot. Other than that, it is going to be one of those deals that is hard to do,” Pope added.
Tillman said a tax increase is not an option in Yalobusha to fund the trail. Tillman also said the next step for Pope was to get the backing of the Calhoun supervisors.
“They are going to be the ones that do the main dealing. That’s your first step,” Tillman said.
“And also with y’all,” Pope added.
Tillman also pointed to television coverage of a meeting in Calhoun County in 2012 that erroneously stated Yalobusha supervisors were against the trail.
“We did not know anything about it,” Tillman said about the coverage, referring to having no input before it aired. “Our phones were ringing. This board was looking at it, we knew it would be a good thing,” Tillman explained about his support for the project.
He also said the television coverage prompted opposition from some people in Yalobusha County who lived near the Calhoun County line in the vicinity of the right-of-way.
“The reason I am here today is to try to get us all together. There were some rumors y’all were not for it,” Pope said. “I was talking to the Mayor of Coffeeville, and he is certainly not for it.” Tillman said the supervisors have authority over the property, not the mayors.
Next to speak was Robert Baker of Bruce, who attended the meeting with Pope.
“We understand we have to go through the (Calhoun) Board of Supervisors and we will. We have a meeting coming up with them, but this was a good time to come talk to you guys,” Baker explained. Baker said if Yalobusha supervisors had opposed the project, there would be no point in meeting with Calhoun supervisors.
“But after this meeting, we will meet with our county supervisors and see what their input is,” Baker explained.