Work will soon begin within the city of Picayune to rehabilitate the city’s water system.
City Engineer Vernon Moore said the work will cost about $3.5 million in state revolving funds and aim to replace 75,000 feet of water line varying in diameter from one to 12 inches.
If all goes as planned, the work should start within the last quarter of the year. Moore said another addition in the project will be the installation of systems that will automatically monitor chlorine and fluoride levels in the water system at the tank and well. Currently, those levels are monitored by city staff once per day each day of the year.
When asked, City Clerk Amber Hinton said the work will not affect the city’s current rate structure.
The Council approved a motion concerning beginning the design and construction phase of the engineering contract associated with the project.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting the Council approved a motion for budget amendments in the general fund, capital projects fund, utility fund, airport fund and community development block grant Westside fund.
The changes reflect a change from $6,300 to $7,550 in the supply fund at the airport to fix damaged lighting and a change from $563,255 to $603,752 in the capital outlay fund for the airport to reflect funding received from a Mississippi Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration grant. Another change in the airport funding was in the intergovernmental revenue line from $512,050 to $552,550 to reflect FAA grant reimbursement.
In the capital projects fund a transfer of $9,344 was made to the Westside fund to help cover the installation of sidewalks along Weems Street.
In the general fund, the change in the budget was from $375,000 to $397,600 to cover “donations and insurance reimbursement (wrecked vehicles),” as listed in the Council packet. Other changes in the general fund included a change in the personal line from $809,113 to $826,973 with a note next to that line that read, “reclass from services – P/T building inspector.” In the other services and charges line, a change from $491,705 to $482,705 was made with the note “reclass to personal.”
Under public works, a change was made in the other services and charges line from $427,426 to $433,926 to reflect a donation to cover repairs to the roof of the Crosby Memorial Library and a change in the capital outlay was made from $527,000 to $534,800 to cover engineering services associated with repairs to Angler Drive during fiscal year 2016.
In the utility fund, the miscellaneous line was changed from $249,000 to $281,100 for the reimbursement of meters and in the supplies line the figure was changed from $1.456 million to $1.488 million to cover the purchase of meters.
The next Council meeting will be held April 18 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.