Work to begin at Booker T

Work has begun on the Booker T. Washington gym renovation project.

Paul Mitchell of Waggoner Engineering said the contractor is moving on site and has started work on some of the outside brick cleaning.

The building, which served as a high school until 1969, has been used as a community center and a place for the Head Start program.

After years of discussion, aldermen in January unanimously approved a contract with Perry Construction Co. to renovate the building at a cost of $703,700. 

The cost includes a new roof and gym floors and refurbished bleachers.  They will also put in new handicapped assessable bathrooms and entrances. The outside of the building is being cleaned and repainted.

The project is being funded by the city, a Historical Perseveration Grant from the Department of Archives and a Community Development Block Grant. 

The city hopes to use CARES Act monies to pay for the project. If this is not possible, funding will come out of the general fund, officials have said.

“They had to get a cleaning agent approved the Department of Archives and History,” Mitchell said. “They did partial brickwork. We got the approval from Archives and History and everything is going as it should.”

The Mayor and Board of Aldermen last Tuesday night approved paying Waggoner for $5,888 for previous work on the project.

Mitchell pitched the idea of installing the needed setup for volleyball nets while the gym floor is being done. 

That change order would cost an additional $26,476 and adds 15 days to the contract. The money would be reimbursable through the Historical Preservation grant, Mitchell said.

Mitchell also updated the board on Waggoner’s ongoing work at the Philadelphia Municipal Airport. 

The Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) equipment is on site. He said it could be installed but could not be activated until it is licensed by the FFA. The board approved an $1,100 pay request for that project. He also discussed the ongoing asphalt problems on the apron by the hangers.

In other actions, aldermen voted to:

• Approve Ward 4 Aldermen Shaun Seales’ nomination of Towasky Graham to the Philadelphia-Neshoba County Park Commission.

• Approve Alderman-at-Large James Waltman’s appointment of James Singleton to the Parks Commission board.

• Approve for an exemption on ad valorem taxes for Viking Metals.

• Approve a street light at the corner of Magnolia Street and Maple Street.

• Approve a C Spire road bore from Main Street and Byrd Avenue interception to the Hill Group building.

• Approve the purchase of a bulldozer for $125,000 for the Sanitation Department.

• Approve the hiring of a full-time employee for the Cemetery Department.

• Approve the acceptance of $500 from the District Attorney’s Office to the Police Department.

• Approve the payment of $450 to Sunbelt Fire from the fire prevention account.