Mayor Whitney Rawlings told selectmen Tuesday that he would like the board to rescind last week’s vote to issue $6.1 million in bonds to fix crumbling streets.
“I recommend instead we amend this year’s budget and put in additional funds for milling and overlay,” he said.
Rawlings said at the work session that the city’s recent annual audit found an extra $500,000 in the cash balance, which Rawlings said could bring the city’s overall street repair budget to around $950,000 this year.
“We should take that money and put it into streets and take care of the worst streets first,” he said.
Rawlings has projected that it would take $1 million a year over 10 years to repair all of the city’s streets.
Selectman Melvin Joe Johnson last week proposed the bond issuance in an apparent backlash to plans to fix the city’s worst streets, rather than evenly divide street funds evenly between each ward.
His motion succeeded with a 3-2 vote, although the board had never discussed details concerning the terms of the loan or interest rates.
Rawlings said his main goal is to fix the streets without putting an extra burden on the tax payers.
“We have proven that we can budget $1 million without having to raise millage on our citizens,” he said.
Rawlings said the city should use available money to fix streets instead.
“I want (City Administrator Quordiniah Lockley) to build a budget around $600,000 for streets,” Rawlings said, referring to the 2013-14 budget.
The mayor said next year’s budget could have even more set aside for street repairs.
The city also is set to receive some $386,000 in federal funds to mill and overlay streets that are ready for construction and have no major obstacles such as the need to obtain rights of way and traffic signals.
Public Works Director Philip Russell said the projects are known as “fast track” projects by the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
“If we will work together on this and be patient, we will find the economy of the city is picking up,” Rawlings said. “We will be in a better position next year to get the $1 million.”
But proponents of the bond issue held their ground.
“What’s wrong with putting it out there and asking (the residents)?” Selectman Tammy Witherspoon said. “If they want it they will vote for it, if not they will vote it down.”
It takes 10 percent of the electorate to file a petition against the bond issue to put the measure up for vote.
Selectman Andranette Jordan agreed with Witherspoon.
“I don’t mind paying a few extra dollars a year on my taxes to ride on smooth streets,” Jordan said.
Witherspoon said she had heard similar statements made by residents in her ward.
She also said she thought a motion to rescind had to come from a selectman on the prevailing side.
However, board attorney Wayne Dowdy said he did not believe that to be the case.
He cited a state statute that allows municipal boards to revisit, amend, change or rescind any motion.
Johnson said if each selectman can work with Russell and get an equal amount of work done in each ward, he would consider changing his vote.
Witherspoon agreed.
“I would love to appropriate (the $500,000), but it isn’t being done fair,” she said.
Rawlings was adamant that doing the worst streets first makes more sense than cherry picking streets in each ward.
“I just think that if we (are) patient here we will be in an even better position next year,” he said.
