The debate over using surplus bond issue money to build four new tennis courts at Halls Ferry Park resurfaced Monday as the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved amending the engineering contract for the tennis courts project by an additional $27,542 to cover engineering for the extra courts.

The board voted 2-1 to amend the contract with Engineering Services of Richland to handle the engineering for the extra two courts with Mayor George Flaggs Jr. opposing the move. The amendment increases the total project cost from $540,497 to $568,039.

The city has $320,000 in city and Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Land and Water Conservation grant funds for the project, which were intended to build two courts. Initially, the extra courts were an addendum to the project bid specifications to be built if there was enough money to build them with available funds.

The board on Nov. 2 voted 2-1 to build the extra courts with Flaggs voting “no.” South Ward Alderman Willis Thompson said the additional $248,039 would come from the city’s $9.2 million in general obligation bonds for capital improvements. The city is expected to have a projected $229,458.55 surplus in the fund.

“That’s where the money is available,” Thompson said Monday. “It’s in the budget.”

Accounting director Doug Whittington said the bond funds are available, but the capital improvement priorities would have to be amended.

“The money’s always been available in the budget or the bonds; you’ve got a couple of million there you’re not going to spend, but the money is available in the budget,” Thompson said.

Flaggs said the board needed to exercise restraint to control spending.

“There’s enough money to spend if you have two votes,” Flaggs said. “You can vote 2-1 right now to spend $30 million on the dogcatcher. I don’t have a problem with that.”

“When I walked in here, I was told we were $474,000 in debt and didn’t have a bond rating,” Flaggs said.” Now we’ve got a bond rating and $3 million in reserve, and I think the effective leadership I’ve provided is good for the city. I’m just trying to lead by example.

“I don’t think it’s up to me to defend good, fiscal, sound, principled doctrine that just so happens to be led by George Flaggs. I’m just trying to keep the city in (good) fiscal condition so we can continue to grow this city, and that’s all I represent. I do not represent the status quo. I do not represent going back.”

Thompson said he supported fiscal responsibility and moving the city forward, but “the money is available for projects that have been discussed and approved by the board, and priorities change. Like you (Flaggs) said, the budget is a blueprint. We haven’t gone over on the budget that we’ve agreed to do. This isn’t something we decided yesterday we’re going to do.”

Thompson added the tennis court project as a last minute amendment to the Nov. 2 meeting, saying having four courts gave the city an opportunity to attract tennis tournaments to Vicksburg.