A public hearing is set to determine whether or not to close the road leading to one of the county’s most well known swimming holes – Drip Rock.
Eilene Beard, owner of the property, brought the issue before the county commission Monday on behalf of herself and the three other adjoining landowners.
The property is located off County Road 24, also known as Open Pond Road, and allows access to the Yellow River. For years, the community has enjoyed public access to the privately owned property.
“I can’t take my family down to the river and enjoy the property that I bought because I have to spend all my time cleaning it up, and the indecent behavior (seen there) – both physical and verbal – is horrible,” Beard said.
Beard said she purchased the property several years ago and has allowed the public access to the swimming hole.
“It’s a beautiful spot, but people have cut down my trees, left trash everywhere, destroyed the riverbank,” she said. “I’ve even been personally threatened by people using the property.
“This has to stop,” she said. “I hate that it’s come to this, but things have gotten out of hand.”
Commissioner Harold Elmore said the county has maintained the dirt road leading to the river for nearly 70 years.
The public hearing will be held April 26 at 9:30 a.m.
In other business, commissioners voted to donate $1,110 to the Covington County Honor Flight and made two appointments to the South Central Alabama Mental Health Board – Brenda Petty (a reappointment) and Amy Jones (a new appointee).
-Stephanie Nelson