NATCHEZ, Miss. – The Adams County board on Tuesday continued discussing its struggle to improve Morgantown Road as it seeks more funds to start the project, but board President Wes Middleton said “it’s going to be moving pretty quickly.”
While U.S. Congress allocated $2.4 million for Morgantown Road in March, another $2 million or more is needed to rebuild what some consider the area’s most dangerous road, according to assessments by the Adams County Board of Supervisors.
The county board and Natchez Board of Aldermen are searching for more funds, but it remains uncertain where the money will come from. However, engineering plans are in the works for the long-delayed project to get started.
“We just need to go on and move forward,” said Adams County Supervisor Ricky Gray, who complained various government officials have been “playing games with Morgantown Road, and I don’t like that.”
He said the board “needs to get this project kicked off” this year because county supervisors are barred from initiating road projects in the middle of an election year, which is 2023.
City and county leaders have struggled for years to find funds to repave and widen the treacherous, flood-prone road that traverses from north Natchez out into the county. Many churches, homes, apartment buildings and a school are located along this stretch of road.
In their discussions Tuesday, county supervisors noted potential sources of road funds could include money the county gets from the federal American Rescue Program Act, state sales taxes and bond revenues. They also pointed to funds the city could possibly come up with. However, Gray said he’s not counting on that.
“It’ll be next year, and Morgantown Road will be sitting out there still waiting on what the city will do,” he said.
Middleton said Tuesday he’s confident about Morgantown Road’s prospect after talking with former U.S. congressman Gregg Harper, the lobbyist hired to help find state and federal funds for Adams County and Natchez.
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The county board this month will seek investors to buy county-issued bonds to generate about $3 million for county recreation upgrades that could get started by summer’s end.
Bond bidders have until July 18 to submit proposals on how much interest they’ll charge the county for it to get the money, said board attorney Scott Slover. Governments issue bonds as a way to borrow money they repay over time with added interest to bond investors.
Once the $3 million is in hand, county supervisors will allocate the money to enhance county facilities, according to a plan yet to be finalized by the board. Its to-do list includes Chester Willis baseball stadium, the county rodeo venue and parks.
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State dam regulators have ordered the county to correct repairs made to Robins Lake Dam that’s been classified a hazard that could break and flood sections of south Adams County. The costs of the required replacement of a dam pipe is estimated by supervisors to be about $175,000 – an expense Middleton said will be borne by the JKS engineering firm held responsible for the faulty repair.
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County supervisors said they continue to get complaints about court-appointed attorneys “not doing their job” representing indigent clients. After hearing another person’s complaint at Tuesday’s board meeting, board attorney Scott Slover said the grievances should to be taken to Adams County’s criminal court judges.
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