Maintenance work on the county’s ferryboat hit a snag this week after the only bid for work came in at almost a quarter million dollars over estimate.

The Warren County Board of Supervisors unanimously rejected a bid of $486,075 by Big River Ship Builders for work on the Kings Point Ferry and decided to rebid the project.

“The only bid we got was almost two times what we have,” Board President Bill Lauderdale said.

The county has allotted $262,500 for work on the ferry, according to a bid tabulation from the Office of Staid Aid Roads. Work is to include towboat engine assemblies, gearbox engine assemblies, propeller assemblies, sandblasting and painting.

“It was about 84 percent over the estimate,” said Brian Robbins of Stantec, the county’s engineering firm.

No additional funding is available to complete the work, Robbins said.

“From the conversation we’ve had with the federal government and state aid, additional funds to meet that difference are not available,” Robbins said.

Robbins recommended the county rebid the contract after finding out what work can be complete with the $252,500.

“Obviously the motors and things of that nature might be available. With the funds that are available we could do some maintenance items, anything that the Coast Guard might require to be done, annual inspections items that might need to be addressed,” Robbins said.

Supervisors unanimously approved, saying that they were concerned about otherwise losing the state aid funding for the boat.

“We need to use those funds,” District 2 Supervisor William Banks said.

The county must maintain the ferryboat to Kings Point Island after the construction of the Yazoo Diversion Canal cut it off from the mainland of Warren County.

A ferry has been the only vehicle to cross the canal and reach the island, made up mostly of luxury hunting camps and timber farming. The current boat was purchased for about $600,000 in 2005. A new motor financed with federal highway money was to be installed in 2015.