McComb selectmen started the process of borrowing money against the city’s anticipated hotel and motel tax revenues at Tuesday’s meeting.
Board members unanimously approved borrowing $500,000, the amount the tax is expected to bring in from now until the end of the term of the tax in June 2021.
Before voting on the matter, Selectman Donovan Hill asked if the city would be repaying the general fund for covering the last payment on the newest lights installed at the McComb Sports Park.
“We’re just going to wash our hands of that,” Mayor Quordiniah Lockley replied.
In Tuesday’s upcoming work session, board members expect to consider a slate of park improvements drawn up by Recreation Director Ron Kessler that include projects in every city park and estimates a total cost for all those proposed projects of more than $1.1 million.
The board has also discussed using some of the hotel tax money to again hire a tourism director.
Also in this week’s meeting, the board approved advertising for bids for two park bathroom facilities at Baertown and at the sports park’s multipurpose field.
The board had already attempted a restroom facility for Baertown Park, but board members and other city officials deemed that construction unusable and had architect Steve Cox draw up new plans.
In other business, the board:
• Adopted resolutions and proclamations recognizing the significance of Black History Month and honoring the life of L.J. Martin, the first black man to run for selectman in McComb.
• Hired Bethany Stringer from Bailey to prepare the city’s financial statements in preparation for the city’s audits.
• Approved buying report management software for city court at $325 a month or $3,900 per year.
• Paid Greenbriar Digging Service $317,555 for work on the Northwest Interceptor sewer upgrade project.
• Agreed to co-sponsor the Community Clean-up and Block Party at the Bo Diddley Pavilion on March 30.
• Accepted a $14,749 donation to the police department from William Cory Smith, who also urged the city board by letter to outfit the police department with body cameras.
• Accepted $162 in donations to the McComb Animal Shelter from Alva Cook, Amaryillis Wallace and Amber Spindler.
• Approved travel to the Governor’s Leadership Prayer Luncheon and Summit in Jackson and the Mississippi Association of Planning and Development District’s conference in Biloxi.
• Promoted Jacob Conerly to lieutenant in the fire department.
• Recognized Steven Furr and John David Paulk for five years of service as firefighters.
• Witnessed the presentation of a plaque from Sherwood Seventh Day Adventist Church by Gloria Van Norman to Lockley in recognition of his accomplishments as mayor.
• Met in executive session for two matters of litigation and several personnel matters. The board returned from the session and voted to have board attorney Angela Cockerham represent the city in litigation matters.
• Learned that the city was not awarded emergency bridge repair funds from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to fix a bridge on Hamilton Street in south McComb.
