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City officials earmark leftover federal funds for Natchez police-fire department payrolls

Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
John Mott Coffey
Nov 13, 2024 | 3:26 PM
City officials earmark leftover federal funds for Natchez police-fire department payrolls


NATCHEZ, Miss. – City aldermen agreed Tuesday to use more than $873,000 in leftover federal funds to pay Natchez police officers and firefighters. 

Natchez received $3.5 million appropriated by the U.S. Congress in 2021 to help local governments recover from the economic impact of the COVID pandemic. City officials have used most of that money for police and fire departments’ payrolls along with the Morgantown Road drainage project. The remaining $873,200 has to be committed by the end of this year. The funds can be used to augment police and fire departments’  payroll through 2026, according to Natchez Community Development Director James Johnston.

In other action Tuesday, the Natchez Board of Aldermen:

— decided to allocate more city money for the Morgantown Road project and apply for a state loan so additional funds are found to complete the work to resurface and improve drainage for the much-traveled thoroughfare. While federal, state and local funds have been allocated for the work, a $1.7 million shortfall remains. Johnston said. Aldermen voted Tuesday to seek a $920,000 loan from the Mississippi Development Authority, which helps local governments finance public infrastructure projects. The Adams County Board of Supervisors is also making financial arrangements to help ensure the Morgantown Road project is completed.  

— rejected contractors’ proposals to rebuild the Silver Street retaining wall because the construction costs are too expensive. While the city received a federal grant of about $380,000 for this project last year to combine with local funds, the two bids recently received are more than $100,000 above what’s available.  One bid was about $560,000; the other $694,000.

More federal money will be sought for repairing the deteriorating retaining wall that’s threatening the stability of Silver Street along the Mississippi River. 
The original $380,000 grant was awarded to Natchez by the Delta Regional Authority, an agency of federal and state governments to foster economic and community development. City officials will ask the agency for additional funds to match with local funds needed for rebuilding the Silver Street wall. Deterioration is imperiling the brick structure that runs below the riverside street going down to Natchez Under-the-Hill in front of The Camp restaurant and Under-the-Hill Saloon.

— agreed to pay $96,300 to Dozer, the company installing the Natchez City Cemetery’s columbarium and landscaping its adjacent grounds. The payment is for last month’s delivery of the prefabricated structure for cremated remains, site preparation and other work done so far. The structure is on the back southeast sector of the cemetery. 

 
—- voted to seek contractors to paint and recarpet the Natchez Convention Center’s second floor and also remodel its restrooms. Bids are also sought for installing air-conditioning units for City Auditorium. Both buildings are undergoing multimillion-dollar renovations.

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