Home » News » Area projects receive millions from state bill
Last week the Mississippi Legislature passed its annual appropriations bill, showering municipal and county governments with cash for some ongoing projects.
Lowndes County received about $3.5 million for rail work and water and sewer needs, and the city of Columbus got about $1.8 million for work on city buildings and a new fire truck. Oktibbeha County received $1 million for road repair, while the city of Starkville is tapped for $5.75 million for various projects.
Lowndes County The lion’s share of the county’s allotment is going to expand rail work at the west bank of the Lowndes County Port, according to Board of Supervisors President Trip Hairston. Trip Hairston
“The idea is we want to reduce the number of trucks on the road out there that are taking scrap to (the SDI steel mill),” he said. “There’s a lot of trucks that move back and forth on that road every day, and this will eliminate some of that (traffic) as well as reducing emissions.”
Neel-Schaffer Engineer Kevin Stafford explained this tranche of money will go toward work at SDI. Kevin Stafford
“This is really split into two pieces,” he said. “One is at SDI, and one is on the west bank. The piece that fits the money is the part that’s inside the fence at SDI.”
Stafford said about 4,900 feet of rail will be built on-site at SDI.
The idea is that that track can immediately go into use at the steel mill, Hairston said.
“They can use all the rail they can get out there, so they can stack up cars there at the site,” he said. “Then we can work on funding the ramp from the port up to the (existing KCS) track.”
Hairston estimated the total cost of the project at $12 million to $13 million.
“Watco Terminal and Port Services has the contract out there, and they are willing to put in about $5 million,” Hairston said. “(The Golden Triangle Development LINK) is writing an Appalachian Regional Commission grant to get some money, and the port is prepared to put in for a federal (Public Infrastructure Development Program) grant.”
The state’s other allotment in Lowndes County is in Crawford. The town requested some money to help with its aging water and sewer system, and got $250,000. Deane Parson
“We have a lot of problems with wastewater,” said Mayor Deane Parson, “because the pipe’s been in the ground so long. We’re trying to get all that taken care of, and ($250,000) is enough to get us started.”
Waggoner Engineering Project Manager Stephen Thompson said as much as $3 million in needs have been identified in Crawford, ranging from rehabilitating an elevated water tank, putting in a new motor at the city hall pumping station, installing generators at wells and improving the sewage lagoon.
Columbus The city got $1.4 million for renovation and repair work at City Hall and other facilities.
Mayor Keith Gaskin said the request was a holdover from the previous administration. Keith Gaskin
“That was a request that was put in by (then-District 39 Rep. Jeff Smith),” said Gaskin, who took office in July 2021. “It came back up again this year, and I didn’t know we were getting it until it passed.”
Gaskin said when City Hall was renovated during the Robert Smith administration, some items — such as upgrading the elevator — were left undone. The money can be used for that, but also may be used for “related facilities,” according to the way the legislation was written.
“We’ll take a closer look at that with the council and determine how to best use those funds,” Gaskin said.
The city also received $350,000 to put toward a new fire truck. Duane Hughes
Columbus Fire and Rescue Interim Chief Duane Hughes said he wasn’t yet sure what strings are attached to spending the money, but he would like to replace the truck at Station 3, on 31st Avenue North. That engine is nearing the end of its service life.
“If we buy a new, custom-built truck, we will probably need another $250,000 or so,” he said. “There are other routes we could go. If we buy a used truck that’s a year or two old, it would cover the whole price. The other direction is to buy a commercial truck, and ($350,000) would cover that, too.”
The trade-off for the used or commercial truck is that the fire rating bureau only certifies those for 15 years rather than 25 for a custom job, he said.
“There are tradeoffs on either side,” he said.
Oktibbeha County Oktibbeha County received $1 million to develop Sturgis Maben Road.
District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery, who oversees the area where this road sits, has long advocated for finding funds to improve the road. He said this is the worst road to drive on within his district, and having these funds will help residents of Oktibbeha County. John Montgomery
“I’m excited about (Sturgis Maben),” Montgomery said. “We’ve been needing that money for a while. … This money will help fix that road, and now it will be able to withstand the traffic that comes on that road. It’s in desperate need of an upgrade.”
Montgomery said he plans to put other funds from the county’s four-year road plan into fixing the road. He said the county will work with County Engineer Clyde Pritchard and hopefully complete upgrades during spring or summer 2023.
Coming from a separate revenue bill, Oktibbeha County received $1 million for a tower for the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office, located in Maben.
Supervisors’ attorney Rob Roberson, who also serves on the legislature, said this tower will allow OCSO to communicate more efficiently with other sheriff offices.
Roberson said in the next legislative session he wants to advocate for funds for a justice complex within Oktibbeha County. Currently, justice, chancery and circuit courts are spread out over three buildings. He said he would like to see all three of these courts, along with the upcoming Oktibbeha County Court, in one building.
Starkville Starkville received $1,250,000 for the redesign and development of Main Street.
The Starkville Board of Aldermen approved the redevelopment of Main Street in late 2021, which will eliminate the street’s turning lanes to allow for sidewalks and create a more pedestrian-friendly streetscape. The legislature also allocated $40 million to help fund Main Streets across Mississippi, and Starkville may qualify for some of this money as well to go toward its project. Rob Roberson
“We’re going to try to get some funds for that for our Main Street project,” Roberson said. “That’s an application process.”
Starkville received $4 million to finish the development of Highway Patrol Troop G, located near Mississippi State University and near the Highway 25 bypass. The city also received $250,000 for improvements to the J.L. King Center and $250,000 for a drainage and ditch cleanup project in west Starkville.
“I’m very excited to get these funds,” Roberson said. “This is one of the first times we’ve been able to get some of our local projects funded. It was a collective effort between (Rep. Cheikh Taylor), (Sen. Bart Williams) and myself. However, this is a start not a finish. We will continue to ask for more money in the future, like with the Main Street project.”
Local appropriations Lowndes County ■ Town of Crawford: $250,000 for infrastructure ■ Lowndes County Board of Supervisors: $3.2 million for rail work at the west bank port facility
Columbus ■ Renovation and repair work at City Hall and related facilities: $1.4 million ■ Purchase of new fire truck: $350,000
Oktibbeha County ■ Redevelopment of Sturgis Maben Road: $1 million ■ Sheriff’s Office communication tower: $1 million (separate bill)
Starkville ■ Main Street development: $1,250,000 ■ Highway Patrol Troop G development: $4 million ■ Improvements to the J.L. King Center: $250,000 ■ Drainage project in West Starkville: $250,000
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