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UPDATE: The time has been changed to 10:30 a.m. for the city’s special meeting Thursday.

NATCHEZ — The Natchez Mayor and Board of Aldermen have called a special meeting for Thursday, Feb. 2, at 11 a.m. in the Council Chambers Building, 115 S. Pearl St.

The meeting is being called to all the city’s staff to move forward in hiring engineering services for the Silver Street Drainage and Utility Upgrade Project.

That project is being paid for by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Municipality and County Water Infrastructure Grant, as well as American Rescue Plan Act funds provided by the City of Natchez and other State and Local Fiscal Recovery funds earmarked for small purchase procurement, procurement of professional service and contracts for public construction.

“We have a deadline to meet for this project, so we needed to call a special meeting,” said Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson. “I am excited we are moving forward with this and the funds that have come through to allow us to undertake this project.”

The contracts may not exceed $250,000, as adopted by the mayor and board of aldermen on March 22, 2022.

Mayor Dan Gibson will appoint a committee to review the proposals for engineering services that are received. That committee will make a recommendation to the full board of aldermen for approval.

The board is also expected to accept the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Community Heritage Preservation grant for the renovation of the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad Depot on the Natchez Bluff. That grant totals $143,750 with a local match of $47,917.

Since plans for the development of a fine dining restaurant in the Depot fell through in late 2022, the city plans to renovate the building into a satellite visitors’ center, complete with public restrooms.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, aldermen will be asked to approve travel for Mayor Dan Gibson to attend the retirement reception for French Ambassador Philippe Etienne on Feb. 8 and 9 in Washington, D.C.

The meeting is expected to include an executive session to discuss personnel issues and pending litigation.