Warren County supervisors will decide Tuesday whether they want to participate in a proposed consolidation of the county’s economic development efforts.
The Warren County Port Commission and the Vicksburg-Warren Chamber of Commerce propose merging the title of port director and chamber director into an economic development post. The commission, chamber board of directors and the city’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen have approved measures to cover the new director’s compensation.
The city board Thursday approved $20,000 a year for three years toward the compensation.
Supervisors are presently split over the proposal, with Board President Richard George and District 2 Supervisor Charles Selman for the plan.
Supervisors John Arnold and John Carlisle say they want to examine the plan. District 3 Supervisor William Banks, did not return calls seeking his position on the matter.
Other agenda items include:
4 The supervisors will discuss adding some new road and bridge programs to the county’s four-year plan for state aid roads and bridges.
The supervisors on Feb. 6 approved the four-year plan, which outlines the status of road and bridge projects funded by state aid programs.
The board presently has bridges on Old Highway 27, Fisher Ferry and Avenue D in Vicksburg in what is called the “construction phase,” which means bids have been awarded and work is underway, and work to replace a bridge on Freetown Road, repairs to Henry Lake Road, bridge replacement on Ballground Road, and Kings Point Ferry Maintenance in what is called the “design phase,” where money has been allocated but the projects have not gone out for bid.
4 Open bids for a 12-acre tract of land on Magnolia Road off U.S. 61 South.
The supervisors in December put the property up for sale, but had no bidders, and voted in January to put the property back on the market.
The county acquired the land in the mid-1960s as part of an economic development program to allow F.L. Cappaert to expand his Magnolia Mobile Homes business.
The land was later subleased to another person, who then sold their lease interest to someone else. When that individual did not keep the lease up, it terminated the lease and the land returned to the county.