NIMBY's Can Help Aviation Too...

A group calling itself the Concerned Citizens of Palmer’s Crossing started a petition to quash a 600-bed detention facility planned for a 20-acre plot adjacent to Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport in Hattiesburg, MS near the community of Palmer's Crossing.

But according to Hattiesburg's paper, the Hattiesburg American, the group's president Frankie Benton Sr., can keep his petition -- the FAA did the work for him.

"[The FAA] felt like this land had the potential for further [aviation] development," said Public Works Director and Airport Manager Bennie Sellers. Referring to the planned Forrest County Regional Jail, Sellers said, "Being parallel with the existing taxiway, [the FAA] did not feel like the location was desirable for this type of facility."

Sellers reported the FAA’s decision to the jail committee comprised of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County government and law enforcement officials earlier this month.

The FAA's decision was welcome news for Benton and his citizen's group. According to Benton, the community unsuccessfully fought the decision to locate a corrections work center in Palmer's Crossing. He claims city and county officials have used his community as a dumping ground and he's tired of it.

"Don’t nobody down here want that," he told the paper.

Now, the jail committee is searching for a site somewhere else in the county -- including within Hattiesburg and Petal city limits, Sellers said.

Forrest County Board Attorney David Miller said, "If anyone's got ideas for a site, let us know."

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.co.forrest.ms.us