The Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau board voted during its September meeting to join the city of Vicksburg in purchasing a trolley from Creative Bus Sales Inc. of Chino, Calif. for $255,055.

The vote was contingent upon minor contract revisions requested by the VCVB board and upon the review of city attorney Kim Nailor.

During the October meeting, VCVB executive director Laura Beth Strickland said she had not yet signed the agreement because of adjustments to the payment process, since the trolley will take a year to arrive in Vicksburg. Instead of paying the full purchase price a year in advance of the trolley’s arrival, the payments will be made on a quarterly basis.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t have to pay for it upfront (as a lump sum). Kim Nailor worked it out and we got confirmation this week that we will have quarterly payments with each party paying $31,900,” Strickland said, which will allow her to sign the contract.

These payments will be made directly to Creative Bus Sales Inc.

Strickland said the VCVB board had intentions of approving the purchase of the trolley at the last board meeting, but before anything was signed she wanted everyone to be made aware of the “major change” as far as the timing for the arrival of the trolley.

The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the purchase of a trolley during its Sept. 19 board meeting.

During the city meeting, Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said the cost of the trolley would be split between the board and the VCVB. The decision by the two entities to purchase a trolley comes after the city declined to purchase NRoute’s trolley for $177,000.

During September’s VCVB board meeting Strickland said, “The city’s responsibilities would be to purchase the trolley and assume ownership of it. They (the city) will be responsible for insurance and maintenance and to employ the staff for the operation of it. We (the VCVB) would agree to promote it and coordinate the scheduling of it (the trolley).”

Strickland added the mayor said the VCVB would establish how much the trolley would cost if rented out and what the rules and regulations for use would be.

While the trolley would be used to enhance tourism, Strickland said, it could also be rented out for special groups, weddings and reunions, and used for special events to transport people.

“We don’t want it (the trolley) to sit there and not be utilized. We want it to be an asset that is seen,” she said.