And you thought we forgot.

With all of us dealing with a pandemic, chasing down the last bottle of hand sanitizer and for some reason stocking up on toilet paper, you thought we forgot.

Well … we did … for a moment. But we’re back.

While last year will be most remembered for the months-long historic Yazoo Backwater Area flood and the recovery, it will also be remembered for the lack of attention state roads and rights of way received from the Mississippi Department of Transportation and their contractors responsible for collecting trash and cutting grass.

Does anyone remember when the city of Vicksburg had to spend money to do what the state was already paying to have done? Anyone remember South Ward Alderman Alex Monsour, who has plenty of other things to worry about, taking time out of his day to cut grass along some of the interstate on and off-ramps?

Last year, we strongly criticized the Legislature for not holding MDOT responsible for the work that was contracted out but not being done. We took criticism ourselves for passing blame on the Legislature, who said they were not responsible; they simply approved MDOT’s budget and moved on.

Regardless, it is our hope that the lack of accountability that existed last year has not crept into 2020. The weather is warming up and we have more than enough rain to grow grass on just about any surface.

Soon, the rights of way along state and federal highways will be inching higher and higher and trash will be collecting.

Let’s hope we do not see a repeat of the ineffective work on the part of MDOT and its contractors.