WLOX-TV and WLOX.com - Building South Mississippi Together |Snakes are an unwelcome neighbor to Jackson County homeowner

Snakes are an unwelcome neighbor to Jackson County homeowner

By Elise Roberts - bio | email

OCEAN SPRINGS, MS (WLOX) - A new homeowner says neglect of a nearby property is wreaking havoc on her home.

"It's a great neighborhood to raise kids, I think," Sonya Ramsey said.

After a few weeks after moving into her Gulf Park Estates home, single mother Sonya Ramsey has some big concerns.

"Not being able to mow the lawn, the ditches filling up with water, the mosquitoes coming out," Ramsey said.

Ramsey said she was aware of existing drainage problems in the neighborhood, but didn't know about an abandoned piece of property that's created a breeding ground for bugs and snakes.

"It almost looks like a pool. A cesspool, but a pool," Ramsey said.

That's why the Jackson County homeowner called WLOX News and her district supervisor to take a look at the problem.

"It's an unusual problem that the piece of property next door has a huge hole in it. All the water from the neighbors drains into it," Supervisor John McKay said. "So she's almost got a small pond next to her house."

District five Supervisor John McKay is committed to helping Ramsey resolve the problem.

"The next step is to find out who owns the property, have the property owner bring in some dirt to alleviate the ponding of water, and if that doesn't work then we'll have to take the legal steps," McKay said.

McKay said the property could be declared a nuisance to public health.

"It holds mosquitoes, it breeds rats and we can do that type of work and charge it back to the property owner," McKay said.

Ramsey said she knows fixing the problem may take some time. While she's hopeful her supervisor will hold true to his word, she said she'll do what it takes to make her home safer for her children.

"I like actions, more so than talk so I am going to wait to see and if I don't see any improvement I am going to speak up again," Ramsey said.

Supervisor McKay has already reached out to the Jackson County planning director to find out who owns the property adjacent to Ramsey's home.

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