PICAYUNE — Picayune’s city council tabled a decision Tuesday night  concerning an agreement between the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the city council for maintenance of Interstate 59 on and off ramps 4 and 6 and approved upgrades for the historic City Hall’s heating and cooling system.

The council tabled entering into an Adopt an Interchange Agreement with MDOT for the maintenance of the on and off ramps of Interstate 59. The problem with the agreement appeared to be the additional expense of about $13,000 a year to mow the rights of way for and off ramps that lie within the city limits. Public Works Director Eric Morris said the reason to consider the agreement stemmed from a desire to put Picayune’s best foot forward as people passed through the city. MDOT mows the exits once every six months and Morris didn’t believe the frequency was enough to make a good first impression with would-be residents or business owners. The council is concerned that at some point the agreement also would entail the city assuming maintenance of the 100-foot tall security lighting and on and off ramp lighting along the interstate, possibly at an additional expense, Morris said. However, Morris believes local involvement in the maintenance of the off and on ramps would improve their looks.

“We could go nowhere but up from where they are now,” Morris said.

Mayor Ed Pinero Jr., saw the possibility in the cost of such an agreement increasing in the future. With the onset of the new fiscal year’s budget, he cautioned the council to enter into the matter slowly. After brief consideration, the matter was tabled.

A motion to make $49,500 in upgrades to the air and heating system at the historic side of the City Hall on Goodyear Boulevard was approved by the council. Morris said the upgrades would involve installing new coil units and air handlers to the existing chill and boil water system on the building’s second and third floors. Some improvements also would be made to the system’s controls. Morris said that with the council’s approval of the project, he will order parts for the project and hopes to have it complete by Christmas.

Construction of a canopy across Gilcrease Avenue from Roseland Park Elementary to the proposed multipurpose building was approved by the council, with some stipulations. Chad Frierson with the city’s Code Enforcement said the school system asked for a canopy that was only 14 feet high, but the city will request the Picayune Separate School District increase the height of the canopy to 16 or 17 feet. When complete, the canopy will provide students with dry access between the buildings. The project still will have to go before the city’s site review committee before work can begin, said Diane Miller, Planning and Zoning director.

The city’s recycling program is taking off, said Christy Goss, Special Projects administrator. The response has been so good that recycling containers at the city barn on Stephens Street and near Roseland Park Baptist Church have been filling up. The program accepts plastics with codes 1 and 2 and paper at the church, and plastics, cardboard, paper, and aluminum at the Stephens Street location.

Eight new utility connections were found during the city’s recent utility amnesty and reward program. Those eight new connections will provide about $12,000 to the city’s annual fee collections. Morris said the program revealed two more residential gas customers, two commercial water customers and five residential water customers.

Jeff McClain with the Pearl River County Utility Authority also presented the council with an update for projects on the horizon. Work to rehabilitate the sewer lift station near the U.S. Highway 11 mini storage is ongoing and is expected to be complete within a couple of weeks. Also, about 3,000 feet of sewer line in the city have been cleaned or repaired with new lining. That work was funded by an $800,000 State Revolving Fund loan.

The Utility Authority is considering rehabilitating the entire sewer system within the city but that would cost an estimated $6 to $7 million. McClain said a loan would be required to cover the cost, but he believes the current rate system could support such a debt.

Barbara McGrew, a representative with the Nehemiah Group, approached the council about a discussion at previous meetings concerning donation of land by the city to the group to build a community center. She said the group requested to be on the agenda early in September, but was instructed to wait until adoption of the city’s budget. She believes if the group waited any longer the delay could cause a loss of support to the group’s cause.

“I have a thorn in my side….that the city is putting us off,” McGrew said.

City Attorney Nathan Farmer said the city needs two things from the group before the city can move forward with considering donating land, articles of incorporation for the group as a non-profit organization and proof of their 501c3 status as a non-profit organization with the IRS.

In other business the council;

— Approved spending about $4,000 to send Picayune Police Chief Bryan Dawsey, Brenda Smith, and Tommy Dyle to a Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies conference, Nov. 13-18 in Jacksonville, Fla..

— Approved a T-hanger lease agreement with Stockstill Group LLC.

— Approved a motion to renew the Declaration of Proclamation of Existence of a Local Emergency caused by Hurricane Isaac.

— Approved a motion to proclaim October as National Arts and Humanities month.

The next regular meeting of the council will take place at 5 p.m. Nov. 6, election night.