The next steps in several projects were approved during Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting.

At the meeting, the Board accepted bids for the installation of exercise equipment at City Park from Jeffcoat Recreation and Construction. Grant funding will pay for the entire project.

A previous bid submitted by the company back in October was rejected due to it including improper ground cover for the project. A new bid submitted that was reviewed by the Board on Tuesday was for $54,116, $200 less than the grant awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Healthy Heroes program.

A resolution was also declared by the Board in relation to a general obligation bond that will be used to repair streets, sidewalks and other traffic related infrastructure features. The bond will be for a total of $1.3 million and be retired using fuel tax reimbursements, meaning there will be no increase in ad valorem taxes as a result of the bond. The resolution will be published four times in The Poplarville Democrat starting on Jan. 10, 2019.

A motion was also approved to include the old concrete plant on Michigan Street for consideration of a Brownfield Assessment Grant.  Mayor Rossie Creel said that the South Mississippi Planning and Development District has indicated that it would like to include the old plant as a beneficiary for that grant funding. The Board approved a motion to submit a fact sheet to SMPDD in that regard.

An adjustment to College Heights Baptist Church’s water bill was also approved by the Board. City Clerk Jane O’Neal said the most recent bill came in at a little more than $825. The reason the bill was so high is due to suspected involvement of “vandals,” who turned on an outside faucet and left it running. A motion was passed to grant the adjustment with the stipulation that steps be taken by the church to secure access to faucets at the property because further adjustments will not be granted.

A failing foundation at the Todd Street water plant building was discussed during the meeting as well.  Public Works Director Sam Hale said the slab has shifted by six inches due to a sink hole, causing the bricks to crack and creating a situation where the internal chlorine tank could be damaged if the structure is left in its current state.

Hale said temporary repairs were conducted, but the structure needs to be demolished and rebuilt. The Board approved a motion to replace the structure at a cost of $4,700.

An appointment was also made to the city’s Planning Commission to replace outgoing member Nita Gilpin during the meeting. Before making that appointment, the Board went into executive session to meet with Marvin Houston, who was nominated for the position. O’Neal said that after the executive session, the Board approved Houston’s appointment to the Planning Commission.