WESSON — The town of Wesson will fight the closing of theSeventh Street railroad crossing in court, officials announcedTuesday during the monthly meeting of the board of aldermen.

“It is the intent of the town to file an appeal on the closureof the Seventh Street crossing, based on a procedural error,” saidMayor Alton Shaw after a short executive session called for reasonsof potential litigation.

Shaw elaborated by saying the town was never notified of theclosure until Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT)officials showed up to close the crossing Thursday.

“They shouldn’t have the authority to come into your town andclose any street they want,” said Alderman Robert Derrick.

In May 2003, the board of aldermen met with MDOT and railroadofficials during a public monthly meeting, rejecting the offer of a$30,000 reimbursement for the closure of the crossing andprotecting the Eighth Street crossing.

At that time, Steve Edwards with the MDOT’s rail division, toldthe board it would be his recommendation to close the crossing.

According to state law, MDOT “shall have power, upon its ownmotion or upon complaint filed, after having made properinvestigation, and after notice and hearing, if requested, toabolish any public roadway/railroad crossing…”

Hollis Cowen Jr., who has clearly stated his opposition to theclosing in the past, called the railroad “terrorists.” His wardincludes the Seventh Street crossing.

“The railroad is the closest thing to a terrorist that the townof Wesson will ever know,” he said. “They set the speed of theirtrains too fast, then they fill their trains with the most toxicchemicals known to mankind.”

Cowen cited a train derailment in about 1973 that sent box carsinto the yard of an elderly Wesson resident.

“If the train derails, the damn boxcars will kill our people waybefore the toxic fumes can escape and kill them,” he said. “Some ofour citizens live very close to the railroad.”

Aldermen said they wanted to have the opportunity to meet withMDOT so they can express their concerns.

“People in Ward 1 and Ward 2 use that crossing to get to work,to get to Highway 51,” said Alderwoman Lura Greer.

Town officials have 10 days from the closure to appeal thedecision.

The closure was the result of a 2-1 vote by state TransportationCommissioners Dick Hall, Wayne Brown and Bill Minor. Hall, whosedistrict includes Copiah County, voted against the closure.

Some residents who were present at Tuesday’s board meetingvoiced their disagreement with the appeal, saying the town wouldhave to spend money in legal fees after turning down $30,000.

“We cut our nose off despite our face,” said resident HaroldAlexander. “The railroad is a hell of a lot bigger than Wesson.They run through the entire state, not just Wesson. They’re lookingat the big picture.”