Work should begin in September on a project that could make four blocks of Fifth Street North friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists.
The city council on Tuesday approved Burns Dirt Construction’s low bid of $1,495,540.15 for the project between Fifth Avenue and Ninth Avenue North – from the Magnolia Bowl to the road just south of the Highway 82 interchange.
The project will add sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping and islands along the corridor, as well as pedestrian crossings.
A September start date is “what we’re shooting for,” Neel-Schaffer engineer Zach Foster, who is Lowndes County’s contracted engineer, told the city council Tuesday during its meeting at the Municipal Complex.
Columbus and Lowndes County collaborated in 2023 to land a $1.3 million Transportation Alternatives Program grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation for the project.
Foster said the city must provide $585,000 in matching funds for the grant, which includes a required $75,000 for contingencies.
The city will pay the match with internet use tax funds.
Interim court reporter
Linder Erby will come out of retirement briefly as part-time interim administrator for municipal court.
She replaces Wendy Blunt, who resigned and worked her last day Monday.
Erby, the longtime Lowndes County Justice Court clerk, retired from that position in May 2022. She will work 20 hours per week, Chief Operations Officer Jammie Garrett said.
Erby will serve as interim “until January or until we find someone else,” Mayor Stephen Jones said.
The council on Tuesday promoted Lisa Lang to chief deputy court clerk. She has served 26 years as a deputy court clerk and has applied for the court administrator position.
Ward 2 Councilman Roderick Smith asked if Lang would be considered for the top job – court administrator – after this promotion.
Garrett said Lang would be considered.
“This is a promotion she had already put in for … so she’s deserving of this,” Garrett said. “As far as the court administrator, we need time to actually get things in order in the court, then we’ll focus on that.”
Garrett told The Dispatch after the meeting that Erby will only serve as interim and has not applied for the permanent administrator position.
Other business
In other business, the council:
■ approved paying Neel-Schaffer $17,699.17 to obtain an additional 22 easements for the city’s American Rescue Plan Act-funded drainage improvement project; and
■ terminated a police officer in executive session for misconduct.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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