McComb officials will have to take another run at getting $100,000 in bond funding from the state that was authorized by the Legislature in 2016.
Mayor Whitney Rawlings told selectmen Friday that the state Bond Commission had approved the bonds for sale on June 19, but notified the city that morning they would need a resolution from the incoming mayor and board to proceed.
The sitting board approved a resolution April 24, on a split vote affirming the city’s desire for the funds and proposing to use them in Central Park, where state Rep. David Myers had broached building a swimming pool.
That plan went through after another split vote nixed a bid by Selectman Ronnie Brock to add the bond funds to $158,000 held in reserve to rebuild the MLK gymnasium in Burglund.
City Finance Director Janice Dillon said C.J. King, a certified government financial manager with the state’s Department of Finance and Administration, called Friday morning and said DFA “had been made aware of the city’s election,” and a new resolution would be needed to get the process of obtaining the money underway.
Dillon said the matter would have to go before the Bond Commission again if the new board changes the plan for where and how it will spend the money.
Lawyer and state Rep. Angela Cockerham, sitting in for board attorney Wayne Dowdy, told board members she was surprised by the DFA’s actions.
“I attended the Bond Commission meeting,” Cockerham said, and the election “never came up.”
Board members took no action and left the matter for the next board to consider.
In other business:
• City Recreation Director Ron Kessler announced several upcoming events sponsored by his department.
Soccer signups for youths ages 4-17 will be open July 2-6. Kessler told board members earlier this year that soccer has become the biggest program, in terms of participation, offered by the department.
The following week, youth fun days will be held 9-11 a.m. Monday at East McComb Park, Wednesday at Martin Luther King Park and Friday at Baertown Park.
On July 20, the Recreation Department will hold its second softball tournament for city departments at 6 p.m. in the McComb Sports Park.
The board also:
• Approved payment of $25,000 to Lofton Properties as part of an agreed judgment from a special court of eminent domain. The judgment gives the city right of way for construction and maintenance on the Northwest Interceptor sewage project.
• Released retainage fees of $95,051.91 on street milling and overlay to Barriere Construction.
• Accepted insurance payouts totalling about $14,600 on three totaled police cars, including two damaged by falling limbs during a windstorm, and one hit by a Kosciusko police officer in Jackson.
Rawlings said the money would go to the general fund, and Selectman Michael Cameron asked if the money would go to buying another vehicle. Told it could, Cameron asked to have the matter put on the agenda in July.
• Paid claims of $312,028.25.
• Heard announcements that City Hall will be closed July 4, and that the board will next meet on July 10 at 5:30 p.m.
