Members of the Winona Board of Aldermen voted to accept bids from construction companies for street paving projects throughout the city.
The projects will be paid for by funds allocated by the Mississippi Legislature in 2021 at the request of the city’s previous Board of Aldermen.
“They requested $1.5 million, but they got $1 million,” said Mayor Aaron Dees.
Board Attorney Adam Kirk said, as he understood it, Rep. Karl Oliver went to the previous board to determine which streets to pave with the funding.
The streets include Summit Street, from Mississippi Highway 51 to Front Street; Quitman Street, from Summit to Carrollton Avenue; Liberty Street; Carrollton Avenue; College Street; Tyler Holmes Drive; Hampton Street; all of Alberta Drive; Rail Tracks to Raper Street on Fairground Street; Walthal Street; Schneider Street and Wadell Street, according to a document provided by Frank Faulkner and Dees.
The paving project is estimated to cost $1,008,563.92, according to the document.
The streets designated for improvement are located in each ward throughout the city, except Ward Five.
There has been much debate, in recent meetings, on which streets to pave, and according to Purnell and Alderwoman Sylvia Clark, many streets throughout the city are in worse shape than some listed for repair.
“These streets are pretty compared to the streets in my ward,” said Clark.
Dees and some board members reminded Purnell and Clark that only the streets on the list can be paved with the funds provided by the legislature.
“I was told, if we don’t use the funds for what it was allocated for, they won’t give us anymore money.”
Alderman Mickey Austin made the motion to advertise for bids, and Alderman Charles Harris seconded. The board voted 4-1 in favor, with Purnell voting against.
“If we don’t use it, we will lose it,” Harris said.
