[06/12/01] Businesses and residents in areas along U.S. 61 South annexed by Vicksburg in 1990 will have sewer mains extended to provide service within the next several months.

Vicksburg’s Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously Monday to give a $165,000 contract to Walker & Wells Inc. to place city mains along the east side of Grange Hall Road, to American Homestar West Inc., on Magnolia Road and to residents on Wigwam Road.

The area is part of the more than 20 square miles that became part of the city after an eight-year annexation case. Multiple contracts over the years have been adding water and sewer lines to the annexation areas. The southern area is among the last to be connected.

Once the mains are installed, residents will be required to pay to have their lines connected to the city utility.

In other agenda items, the board:

Voted unanimously to apply for a new household hazardous waste grant to receive money for 2002. The grant will help residents dispose of their items such as turpentine and motor oil at a one-day event each spring.

The city did not receive funding this year because the state did not have the money, city planner Ronnie Bounds said.

Awarded the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation a contract to review Historic District guidelines. The guidelines are in place to oversee any construction in the downtown area, but have not been updated to include new construction materials.

Granted landscape architect Jeff Richardson permission to seek a $15,000 grant from the Mississippi Forestry Service to plant 100 trees in the downtown area. The city would pay $5,000 of the total cost. Trees will be planted on the rights of way from Cherry Street to the river and Clay to First East, Richardson said.

Held closed sessions on several personnel matters and a litigation question.