Southeast Mississippi communities are receiving millions of dollars in state funding for projects aimed at improving emergency response, public safety and local infrastructure.
Senate Bill 2189 allocates money to cities, counties, schools, colleges, state departments and other public entities across Mississippi. In Pearl River, Jackson, Forrest, George and Stone counties, local officials said the money will support projects including emergency facilities and infrastructure upgrades.
Pearl River County
The state awarded Pearl River County $1.75 million to build an emergency operations center and an additional fire station in Poplarville.
County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin said the county received $2.9 million in federal funding for the emergency operations center. The additional state grants fully funds both projects.
“We applied for a federal grant a few years ago and were awarded $2.9 million to build an EOC from the federal government,” he said. “But we didn’t have enough money to build the EOC and go build a separate fire station.”
Lumpkin said the new fire station could help lower Poplarville’s fire rating, which may reduce insurance premiums for some residents.
“The insurance rating in Poplarville will go from a 5 down to a 4,” he said.
During construction, Lumpkin said the emergency operations center will operate out of a volunteer fire department about 3 miles from the planned site of the new station.
“I would figure, from now, 18 to 24 months, we should have it completed,” he said. “We’re still waiting on one permit from FEMA before we can really move forward.”
Jackson County
In Jackson County, $1.7 million in state funding will support two fire station projects.
Earl Etheridge, Jackson County’s emergency operations director, said $1.2 million will help replace the Big Point Fire Station, which recently became county property.
“The Big Point Fire Station, that station was built in the ’70s, and it’s way past its life expectation,” he said. “Fire trucks have changed over the years. They’ve gotten bigger, taller, longer, and the newer fire trucks won’t fit in the fire station anymore.”
Etheridge said the grant allows the county to start over.
“The best course of action is going to be to tear the station down to the ground and rebuild a totally new station,” he said.
The county also plans to build a second fire station on Old Fort Bayou Road to serve growth on the west side of Jackson County. The state awarded $500,000 for that project, but Etheridge said the station is expected to cost about $1.2 million, leaving the county to cover roughly $700,000.
“With this new subdivision coming in, we’re having to build a station to serve that area,” Etheridge said.
Both stations will be based on the Saracennia Road Fire Station, north of the airport, which opened last year. Etheridge said the county plans to make minor changes to the design.
“We’re going to make some minor changes. They did a couple things in that station that we see need to be done differently,” he said.
Forrest County
Forrest County will use $1.25 million in state grant money to repair and upgrade the county’s multipurpose center.
The Center at Forrest County hosts fairs, concerts, rodeos, markets and other community events. It also serves as an emergency shelter during hurricanes and other disasters.
Terri Bell, president of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, said the county must keep the 27-year-old building ready for large-scale emergencies.
“We’re going to need to have this building ready to take care of the whole region. I mean, from the Mississippi Gulf Coast all the way up in the state,” she said.
State Rep. Larry Byrd, R-Petal, said the grant came after a request from county supervisors.
“This was part of a $2 million request, and so we got $1.25 million, and so I feel good about that,” he said.
Executive Director Jeremiah Branch said the money will pay for electrical upgrades, roof repairs and insulation, and an ADA-compliant wheelchair lift.
County officials are still working on a timeline, but they expect work to begin soon.
Lucedale
In Lucedale, $1.2 million will fund traffic improvements at Ventura Drive and Highway 63.
Mayor Al Jones said the project is part of a broader effort to manage traffic as the area continues to grow.
“George County and Lucedale are one of the fastest-growing areas in the state of Mississippi percentage-wise,” Jones said. “With that, some great things are happening, but also traffic issues.”
Ventura Drive has become a busy connector between Highway 26 and Old Highway 63, with several businesses along the road. Highway 63 also serves schools and businesses, including Walmart, Singing River Power and several banks.
“That’s our biggest commercial corridor through there,” Jones said.
The funding will help install a new traffic signal at Ventura Drive and replace the existing light near Walmart. Jones said the lights need to be coordinated because the intersections are close together.
He said the work fits into a larger plan to improve traffic flow between the city’s main corridors.
“We’re trying to get connector roads where you can have fun traffic,” Jones said.
The project is expected to begin early next year.
Stone County
Stone County received $150,000 for fire hydrants in underserved rural areas.
Todd Cospelich, deputy fire coordinator for the county, said the money will cover up to 30 fire hydrants.
“Magnolia has one fire hydrant. We have water systems in both locations. We have good wells, high-capacity water towers. We just don’t have hydrants that serve the community,” he said.
Cospelich said the added hydrants would make firefighting more efficient by reducing the distance firetrucks must travel to access water.
“If that’s 15 miles away, then we have to travel 15 miles to get additional water,” he said. “If we can shorten that distance to 1 mile, then it serves the community far better and the fire service far better.”
Several other South Mississippi counties and cities also received funding through Senate Bill 2189, according to the bill. RHCJC News requested interviews with those local officials, but they did not respond by publication.
A full list of funding recipients is available through the Mississippi Legislature’s version of Senate Bill 2189.
This article first appeared on RHCJC and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
