Trudging forward in St. Thomas

By Christopher Young,
Contributing Writer,

The St. Thomas Community Association met Tuesday, June 9, 2026, with twenty-six in attendance. Association President Yolanda Wilson called the meeting to order, and a member shared a prayer.

Wilson introduced a representative of the Hinds County Public Works Department, Mr. Durrell Payne, one of two Assistant Road Managers, and began by asking him the first question – why is Percy Davis Road and St Thomas Road down by the cemetery so neglected? Payne indicated that he and his team are doing the best they can with what they have. “There are “1,000 miles of roads in Hinds County, and roads go both ways so that’s really 2,000 miles and we have a workforce of sixty. When I started in 2005, we had 120-130.” He spoke about filling potholes, maintaining shoulders, and clearing ditches. He mentioned that sometimes there are equipment failures, and often getting called away from an in-progress job because of an emergency in another part of the county. “I wouldn’t say we’re neglecting, we’re doing the best we can do with what we’re working with. I wish you guys would just kind of bear with us and try to understand that emergencies come first, right? We are receiving 25-30 work orders a day.”

 

Numerous questions came from the members – potholes, overhanging limbs, ditches so clogged that in heavy rain – water runs right across the road and into neighbors’ yards, unclogging culverts and drains. Payne addressed each question but left the listener wondering why the St. Thomas area is so understaffed and under resourced. It was noted by one member that “we all see improvements going on in other districts.”

Sheriff Tyree Jones must be the busiest elected official in Mississippi, yet he rarely misses a St. Thomas Community Association Meeting. He spoke about an increasing number of cameras – up to 77 have been deployed – and when a 911 call comes in, the cameras in that area will activate through dispatch and geofence that area, helping law enforcement respond to the call for service. The Sheriff also reminded the members of the importance of the tax base, and how that directly relates to available resources and staffing at county departments like his and Public Works.

Jones encouraged all members to download Hinds County Sheriff’s Office App on their smartphones. He discussed recruiting strategies to draw more deputies to the county. He appealed to the community to have open communication, to share their needs with the Sheriff’s Office and promised to do his best to address those needs – including direct patrol if there is a situation that requires an increased presence. He mentioned that current statistics shows in rural areas of the county overall crime have declined. For the first week of June there was one business burglary, 4 felony arrests, and 20 misdemeanor arrests. He also shared an update on the new jail, indicating good progress is being made. The new Hinds County Detention Center can’t come quick enough. There are currently 922 pre-trial detainees in the Raymond Detention Center, per Jones. That facility was designed to hold 600.

District 2 Supervisor Tony Smith arrived near the conclusion of the meeting and jumped right in. He reported that the signs announcing arrival in St. Thomas are ready and that he just needs a final decision on the actual placement. He spoke briefly about dumping, a major priority for him. One resident spoke about the condition of St. Thomas Road and how recently AMR took two hours to respond when her father fell and broke his hip, then when they arrived, they didn’t have the right medicine onboard, then drove the wrong way when leaving, which led them to the long-closed Bakers Creek Bridge, further delaying medical treatment. He indicated the AMR contract is being reviewed regularly, yet ultimately there are only two providers in central Mississippi. He gave out his county cell phone number. He reported there is progress on the St. Thomas Road Bridges and encouraged calling George Lewis for the latest update.

Former District 2 Supervisor David Archie attended the meeting and asked permission to address the body but was turned down by the St. Thomas Community Association President. He was able to interact and pass out push-cards once the meeting ended.

Following Supervisor Smith’s advice, this writer paid a visit to the Public Works Central Office at 900 East Main Street, Raymond MS, and met the Hinds County Director of Public Works, George Lewis. The ask was simple, tell me something that I can share with the readers of The Mississippi Link newspaper about the long-promised bridge repairs on St. Thomas Road. The next day, Lewis provided the following update by phone. “The County Engineer has already submitted the design for the two bridges at Bakers Creek to the Mississippi Office of State Aid Road Construction. They are reviewing the plans to determine when they can advertise for bids. From concurrence by State Aid to bidding could take a month.”
There are three bridges in total that need to be repaired/replaced. The two closer to the intersection of St. Thomas Road with Airplane Road (where St. Thomas Road ends) are the responsibility of the state. The bridge leading up to the other two is the responsibility of Hinds County. Lewis stated, “the county is ready to repair the first bridge and install a culvert. That will take a month at the most and will cost approximately $100,000. There’s a good chance all work will be completed by the end of this year.” These bridges have been closed, requiring a six-mile detour for residents, for over seven years, per past reporting by WLBT’s Roslyn Anderson.