NATCHEZ, Miss. – The city board agreed Tuesday to hire 10 students to work for the understaffed Natchez Public Works Department during the summer break. Up to $30,000 is allocated to pay the short-term workers.
Public Works Supervisor Justin Dollar said the department is short about five employees and also without the 10 or so jail inmates that have provided labor in the past. The temporary student workers’ duties will include watering plants and picking up litter.
The Board of Aldermen last month had imposed a general hiring freeze because of revenue shortfalls caused by the COVID-induced economic recession.
The board on Tuesday did suspend one city public works employee and fired another after holding a closed-door meeting to discuss the two unnamed workers and reasons for booting them.
In other action, the board voted to move forward in seeking prospective contractors to install a swimming pool cover and heating system for the Natchez-Adams County Aquatic Center. State and federal funds are being provided for this. Bleachers, lockers and a water-chlorination system are also being installed. Previous estimates had the pool improvements costing up to $268,000.
The public swimming pool at Liberty Park opened in June 2018 but closed during the winter months.
Aldermen on Tuesday also appropriated $25,000 for conducting the city elections that began June 2 with the Democratic party primary, resume with a June 23 runoff and conclude July 14 with the general election for a new mayor and board. Aldermen until now had not allocated money to pay pollworkers and for other election expenses, said outgoing Mayor Darryl Grennell. The money is coming from funds previously set aside for the mayor and aldermen’s travel expenses.
The board delayed filling a vacancy on the six-member Natchez Convention Promotion Commission. Aldermen decided to let the new board and mayor decide who to appoint as Lavada Hill’s replacement when the new administration takes office in July. The motion to postpone filling the vacancy was made by Alderman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, who was defeated for re-election last week by Valencia Hall.
The NCPC governs how Natchez attracts visitors to the city and how tourism taxes are spent for this.
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