McComb’s finances need constant attention, Mayor Quordiniah Lockley said Tuesday.
During the city board’s work session, Lockley reported that sales tax collections are $95,000 below projections so far this year, and overall revenues are $311,000 below projections.
“This cannot continue,” Lockley said. “This will be the third year that the city hasn’t met its projections. It’s the third year where the city is $300,000 below its projections.
“That’s a million dollars less. It’s about 10 percent of our annual budget, and for a small city, that hurts.”
Lockley pointed out that two of the three years of shortfalls in the budget projections had occurred under the previous administration.
“This board didn’t start this, it inherited it,” Lockley said. “I can’t say why this is happening, but we can’t keep going down this slippery slope.”
Tourism and spending by visitors could boost both the general sales tax and the hotel and motel tax collected by the city.
Board members met with Scenic Rivers Development Alliance Executive Director Joseph Parker and Pike Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Catherine Sanders to discuss how the organizations and the city can work together to promote McComb and its events.
Parker said Scenic Rivers promotes events on its website and helps sponsor events and advertise them in numerous media outlets. The website links to the chamber site to provide listings for accommodations and shopping opportunities.
Sanders said the tourism brochures she compiles and provides to welcome centers and other places have many McComb listings. She said the chamber also keeps a calendar of events that many people check to find events or ensure events they’re planning don’t conflict with other already-scheduled happenings.
“We can be the hub of the community calendar,” Sanders said. “Just call me and tell me what you want listed.”
Lockley also returned to the topic of travel for selectmen after noting in the previous work session that about 90 percent of the board travel budget had already been exhausted.
With several big conferences coming up later in the year, including the Mississippi Municipal League and the Mississippi Association of Planning and Development Districts, he estimated the board would need to amend its travel budget by about $25,000 to ensure it can cover travel and registration costs.
In other business, the board:
• Heard a recommendation to pass along a 66-cent boost in garbage fees to customers, which would move the monthly cost from $18.42 to $19.08.
• Advanced a quarterly evaluation form to Tuesday’s meeting for approval.
• Considered waiving fireworks and alcohol policy for the Iron Horse Festival on June 8.
• Discussed seeking proposals from architects for the MLK Recreation Center. Architect Steve Cox, on retainer for the city, said the board should decide what it wants to include in the center before seeking architectural services.
• Approved travel for Selectman Devante Johnson to a National League of Cities meeting in North Little Rock, Ark.
