Bude OKs request for new CDBG funds in '23

The Bude Board of Aldermen authorized the Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District to pursue another round of federal Community Development Block Grant funding for municipal infrastructure improvements during its monthly business meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

“The town’s previous sewer improvement project, which included infrastructure upgrades north of Railroad Avenue and was paid for through a round of CDBG support, has been completed and closed out for more than a month now, so we want to apply for the new 2023 funding,” SWMPDD representative Allen Laird said.

“The good news is that the latest round of the CDBG grant has been upped to a $600,000 limit without a local match, which is up from the previous limit of $450,000, which it had been set at for several years.”

Laird said Bude leaders have already identified some next-round potential water and sewer projects for CDBG support and he asked for authorization for the planning and development district to submit the necessary paperwork in seeking the money.

“For this grant, we will have to advertise for engineering services and will have to hold a public hearing to outline the scope of the project and how the funds would be utilized,” he continued.

Town attorney Mary Kathryn Williamson asked Laird if a particular board-sanctioned project for the federal dollars needed to be identified immediately, but he replied that there was time to polish such a list to see how the town could most effectively use any money it might receive.

Williamson noted a great deal of attention has been focused on the rehabilitation needs of Bude’s existing sewer lagoon over the past two years.

Most recently, the municipality has asked for help from the Mississippi Legislature with up to a $2 million request from any bond bill funding during the current lawmaking session in Jackson.

“There’s no guarantee that we would see some or all of that money from the state, and we need to look at every alternative that’s out there when it comes to getting the money we need to address the lagoon once and for all,” Williamson said.

She said preliminary estimates to deal with dredging the lagoon, controlling vegetative growth and improving internal waste-handling infrastructure and security fencing have been in the neighborhood of $1.5 million.

“If we had a little bit from this source and a little from another source, maybe we could pool all of that to make the full scope of repairs that are needed,” Williamson continued.

Laird said he would look into Williamson’s suggestion as the town whittles down its priority list for CDBG funding usage.

In the end, aldermen voted without dissension to move forward with Laird’s request to apply for the federal support, seek engineering proposals and to hold a public hearing on the matter as early as March.

Laird also noted that the Delta Regional Authority has funds for infrastructure projects and suggested Bude might want to seek dollars from that pot of money through SWMPDD.

“It’s something that certainly deserves a look — even if it’s for another project beyond the sewer lagoon,” he went on to say.

In other business to come before the board, aldermen took the following actions:

• Heard from Charles Webb, who was representing River Ridge Forest Products LLC, which is building a wood products handling facility on the site of a former timber mill adjacent to the railroad in Bude.

“We had made a request back in May when we signed a (lease) contract for a privacy fence to be put up on the back of the (town-owned) property and wanted to know the status of that,” Webb inquired.

Additionally, Webb raised concerns about the status of a bridge crossing leading into his plant site — adjacent to the Franklin County School District bus barn — and pointed out heavy rains had led to further deterioration of the structure.

Town officials said they planned to meet with the Franklin County Board of Supervisors — possibly as early as Feb. 21 — to see if the entities could work together in addressing Webb’s concerns about the bridge.

“I think everybody agrees that something needs to be done about the bridge,” Mayor Linda Green said. “It comes down to having the financial resources to take on this project. If the town can work with the county on this, I think everyone would benefit.”
• Approved the February claims docket that totaled $16,749.95; the town’s payroll in the amount of $25,224.17; and the municipality’s Public Employees Retirement System contribution of $4,209.56.

• Authorized Deputy Clerk LeTunja Lewis’ participation in the spring Municipal Basic Workshop on Feb. 23 in working toward her Certified Municipal Clerk’s certification.

• Reviewed quotes for a new vehicle for the town’s Maintenance Department from Mississippi Auto Direct and Mac Haik Ford.

No formal action was taken on the proposed purchase of a used vehicle during the meeting.

• Discussed the placement of LED street lights along the town’s right-of-way on Railroad Avenue as well as throughout the municipality.

Aldermen suggested having a representative of Entergy Mississippi attend a future meeting to discuss the process of swapping out existing mercury vapor lights and the cost to taxpayers for the change.

• Approved a water refund in the amount of $100 for Alayshia R. Walls.

• Heard from Town Clerk Ellisha Ford, who noted the employer contribution paid by the municipality to PERS was likely to rise by 5 percent by Oct. 1.

• Authorized the replacement of a rotten utility pole providing electrical service to one of the town’s major sewer lift stations on C Street.

Diversified Controls submitted a quote of around $2,400 to take on the repair project.