Multiple major recreation projects on the table

Infrastructure, especially water and sewer, are emerging as the top priorities for Lowndes County and the City of Columbus as they assess how best to spend the millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief funds they have received. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act, Lowndes County got about $11 million and Columbus received about $5 million.

The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors has partnered with the Horne Group to oversee spending, and has been receiving proposals from rural water associations, among other entities, asking for a piece of the pie. “Hard infrastructure” projects will be prioritized, because the state legislature has said it will match those costs dollar-for-dollar.

Outside water and sewer, county leaders will do an assessment of county buildings to see what needs they have. About a quarter of the money may be spent on “soft” projects, as well, but no decisions have been made.

The city, which has partnered with Waggoner Engineering, is looking to spend a large part of its money on addressing drainage, water and sewer issues throughout the city, as well as remediating the backlog of blighted property. Waggoner also has proposed a far-ranging plan that would address social inequality, access to transportation and law enforcement issues.

About $1.3 million of the city’s funding has been earmarked for premium pay for city employees.

Money must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.

Road work

The county is in the midst of a $5 million road plan targeting its most heavily traveled roads. When all is said and done, about 58 miles of roads will be improved. Work for the project was bid out and some work done last year, but then was put on hold due to unfavorable winter weather conditions. Paving to complete the project is already underway.

The bond will be repaid with the county’s allotment of state use tax proceeds.

The city, on the other hand, recently finished its own $5 million paving plan. The paving and striping is done, and the final boxes are being checked to complete the project. The city had a few hundred thousand dollars left over, and planning is underway to put those unexpended funds to use.

Facelift for Fifth Street

The city has received a Mississippi Department of Transportation Transportation Alternatives Program grant to give the stretch of Fifth Street between the Magnolia Bowl and the bypass a facelift. The intent is to make it more friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as slowing the traffic flow.

Lanes will be added for bikes and pedestrians, and islands will be installed in the middle of the road, so that walkers will only have to cross one lane at a time.

The project has an estimated cost of around $1.4 million, with the city’s contribution coming to around $300,000 once matching funds and design are accounted for. Planning and design will likely take about a year, with the project hopefully going to bid in about a year.

MDOT has told the city the grant may be in jeopardy due to the city’s late audit report.

Recreation

Both city and county are working through plans to revitalize recreation offerings. For the city, this means a study looking at Propst Park. The 100-acre site in East Columbus currently offers baseball, softball and T-ball fields, as well as disc golf and the Field of Dreams for special needs children. A draft proposal would add more ball fields, access to the Luxapalila Creek, reroute roads to eliminate speeding and walking/jogging tracks, as well as pickleball.

The county has bought a parcel of land west of the river that it hopes to build a sports complex on. Although original concept drawings had a hefty $20 million price tag, the board of supervisors is looking at spending in the $7 million range. Some pieces may be put out to bid soon to get a better idea of the price.

The end is also in sight for construction of the equestrian park on Tom Rose Road. A concession area and bathrooms is the last outstanding piece of the project, and bids are being reviewed by the board of supervisors. The multi-part project was greenlit in 2018, and an arena and space for the Mississippi State Extension Service and the county’s 4H program have all been completed.

A new FedEx distribution center is currently under construction.

Industrial development

On the industry front, ground was recently broken for a FedEx distribution center on Charleigh Ford Drive. The 217,000-square-foot facility is expected to generate nearly $500,000 in tax revenue yearly and provide close to 200 jobs.

The Golden Triangle Development Link said that although record-high construction costs have shot down a number of potential projects, there continues to be strong interest in the area for solar farms and data centers, due largely to the vast amount of electrical infrastructure present in the Golden Triangle.

One area of heightened interest is medical marijuana grow houses, processing plants and dispensaries. However, it is still not clear if the Tennessee Valley Authority will allow power cooperatives and municipal utilities to serve power to the industry.

Columbus Air Force Base

As of press time CAFB planned to hold the Wings Over Columbus Air Show and STEM Expo March 26-27, with an appearance by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds last performed at CAFB in 2018, and this year’s appearance honored the 75th anniversary of the Air Force and the Thunderbirds’ 69th year in service.

STORY BY BRIAN JONES

OPENING PHOTO BY RORY DOYLE

AIR SHOW PHOTO BY LUISA PORTER

OTHER PHOTOS BY DEANNA ROBINSON