NATCHEZ. Miss. –The city has been awarded about $380,000 in federal funds to repair the deteriorating retaining wall that’s threatening the stability of Silver Street along the Mississippi River.
The grant will be combined with city funds for a project estimated to cost about $600,000.
Deterioration is imperiling the brick wall that runs along part of the riverside street going down to Natchez Under-the-Hill in front of The Camp restaurant and Under-the-Hill Saloon.
The retaining wall’s stabilization is being planned along with the upcoming project to elevate the lower part of Silver Street to protect it from Mississippi River floodwaters. The project – which has been plagued by delays – was budgeted to cost about $2.4 million, which is mostly coming from federal funds the city has already received.
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The six-member board agreed Monday to ask the state attorney general to opine on whether the mayor and three aldermen legally met Oct. 14, when they voted to close down a Franklin Street nightclub deemed a public nuisance.
The question is whether Mayor Dan Gibson can be counted when determining if there’s the required quorum, or majority, to hold a municipal government meeting. Gibson and city attorney Bryan Callaway maintain the mayor’s presence at a meeting with three aldermen constitutes a majority. However, aldermen Felicia Irving and Billie Joe Frazier insist a fourth alderman is required for the board to legally meet and take action.
Gibson snapped-called the meeting Oct. 14 – a Saturday – after a riotous melee in and around Truth lounge took place. Aldermen Valencia Hall, Sarah Carter Smith and Curtis Moroney agreed with the mayor to order the nightclub be closed. However, Adams County Circuit Judge Debra Blackwell nullified the municipal order last week.
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