Mayor Whitney Rawlings outlined a plan Tuesday to upgrade 10 parks over the next four years with some $1.2 million from the city’s motel tax.
Selectmen are expected to vote on the proposal at next Tuesday’s board meeting agenda.
“If next Tuesday at the board meeting you say yes McComb will have one of the finest city park systems in the state,” Rawlings said.
Proceeds from the 3 percent tax must go towards tourism promotion, parks and recreation.
Rawlings said nine parks would undergo improvements, and Selectman Donovan Hall is working to add Algiers Park to the list.
Director of Parks and Recreation Joseph Parker provided board members a list of needed improvement at all 10 parks.
Most of them need similar improvements, including security lighting, fencing, playground equipment, landscaping and other amenities, Rawlings said. Splash pads also need some electrical work.
Looking at the list Parker provided, Selectman Michael Cameron asked the Mayor what exactly the board would be voting on.
“How is next week’s agenda going to read?” he said. “Is it going to read that we vote to spend the hotel/motel tax on improvements, or are we voting on this set of improvements?”
Rawlings said he is asking the board to push the hotel/motel tax back into the city parks.
Essentially, Parker will outline a plan for each park, while keeping the board informed, instead of paying a firm to plan the improvements on the front end. The list is there to show what needs to be done in each park.
Cameron still thought it “seems like a vague agenda item.”
Rawlings said, “I can’t specifically say line by line what we’re going to do on every park.” But he said he will work with city employees to form a more concise agenda item.
Hill asked Police Chief Scott McKenzie what areas in the city see the most crime. McKenzie answered that it is spread out fairly equally, but the Burglund and Algiers areas probably have the most crime.
McKenzie couldn’t say if it related to the parks issue.
Hill then requested a majority of the hotel/motel tax be spent in those two areas.
Hill said with appropriate outlets in those areas the city might see crime decrease.
“It gives them an opportunity to be around positive people doing positive things,” he said.
Rawlings said improving all parks will create a place families can go and spend time together.
Selectman Ted Tullos said restoring the parks is a vital step for the city.
“This is needed, needed right now,” he said. “This is a great plan.”
