Aberdeen city leaders look at possible solution to parking problem

Some homeowners say drivers of big rigs park in private lots, causing damage to property

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – Some Aberdeen homeowners are upset over damage to their property, they say is caused by truck drivers parking their big rigs on private property.

DeRhonda Jones lives next door to the old Fred’s in Aberdeen.  Although the store has been shuttered for years, she says the parking lot is used by truck drivers, who live in the area, and park their rigs in the lot when they’re home.

She says the big rigs have caused damage to her property on many occasions.

“They’ve turned it into, a truck stop, every night, trucks are coming in and out.  Some back into our walls, knocking big concrete chunks out of my retaining wall, they throw garbage in the parking lot, we have to clean that up, it’s hard to catch them because they come in the middle of the night,” Jones said.

The owners of the Fred’s property are out of state, and Aberdeen Mayor Charles Scott says trucks are not authorized to park in the lot.

Mayor Scott says he is aware of the complaints and the damage caused by the trucks.  He says the city has a solution.  Truck drivers will be able to park their rigs in the parking lot of the old Holley Plant, right off Highway 45.

“We’re going to put up a new fence, and also put cameras and lighting so when they come in they will have a way to log in their vehicle, parking slot assigned to them and it will be secured with cameras and proper lighting,” Mayor Scott said.

The mayor said some truck drivers were allowed to park their rigs at the Holley lot as a sort of test run.

“They said it was a perfect place, because number one, access to get on 45 right at the intersection, plus, a light there, allows them to pull out in a more safe environment,” Scott said.

DeRhonda Jones says she just hopes things change, and soon.

“When you’re being woke up four or five times a night, you can’t get any rest, there is no rhyme or reason to it at all, it’s literally all the time,” Jones said.

A public hearing on the issue and the city’s proposal takes place Monday at 6 at Aberdeen City Hall.