Residents of Oktibbeha County who have non-traditional mailbox posts could soon face fines if the posts aren”t replaced.
In order for Oktibbeha County to receive Mississippi Department of Transportation Office of State Aid road construction funds, all mailboxes along State Aid road rights-of-way in the county — not in the city of Starkville — must be placed atop 4-by-4-inch wooden posts, or “breakaway” posts, county administrator Don Posey said. Counties receive State Aid funds for road improvements and construction projects, but must conform to State Aid regulations to receive the funds.
State Aid funds for the overlay of Oktoc Road, for instance, could be withheld due to multiple mailbox posts in the right-of-way which don”t conform to State Aid standards, Posey said. Oktibbeha County receives approximately $49,900 a year in State Aid funds, he said.
“It”s a pretty big deal,” Posey said.
County road crews will soon take an inventory of non-traditional mailboxes, such as those with brick structures or decorative chain-link posts, and Posey will send residents of those homes letters informing them of the mailbox requirements. Posey said he already sent letters to all county residents about the State Aid standards, but the next round of letters will go to residents whose boxes are still in violation.
Posey said he is unsure when he will send the letters, but it could be a few weeks. Then, residents will have 30 days to replace the mailboxes or face fines, Posey said. The county has yet to establish a fine structure, he said.
Posey estimates there are 300 to 400 non-conforming mailboxes in Oktibbeha County and acknowledged it will be difficult to locate all of them.
“But we”ve got to try,” he said.
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