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VIDALIA, La. — Another fiscal year has gone by and it’s time again for the Town of Vidalia to revisit its wish list on which it may spend excess revenue generated by royalties from power sold at the hydroelectric plant 40 miles south of town.

The hydroelectric station, which opened in 1990, was the dream of former Vidalia Mayor Sidney A. Murray Jr., though the town does not fully own it. It cost about $550 million from private investors to build.

However, the town is a co-licensee of the station and receives royalties from the power sold. These royalties capped out at 20 percent of the station’s gross revenue in 2022.

The aldermen must vote and approve a list of projects for the year after gathering input from the public in two public hearings, per the town ordinance.

First on the town officials’ list is approximately $3 million set aside to rebate the town’s utility customers for their electric power, making the town have the “cheapest utilities anywhere,” said Mayor Buz Craft.

“I don’t care where you go, you can’t get it any cheaper than that. … Not only that, but we have better service. I’d put our people against anybody,” he said.

Craft said aggressive code enforcement, updates to the Vidalia Convention Center, and renovation of the upstairs of the hydroelectric building to be used as a museum and gift shop are also on his wish list.

“I’m going to be asking for up to $300,000 to repaint, refloor, fix elevators and spruce up the (hydroelectric) building. It’s too nice of a building to go unused. We have some offices I’d like to see us move around,” Craft said.

Aged HVAC units in the Vidalia Convention Center need to be replaced for approximately $250,000.

“I’ve been looking at pictures of the Natchez Convention Center renovation and it’s going to be beautiful. I really think our convention center could use some paint and brightening up,” Craft said.

He would also ask the aldermen for $200,000 to $300,000 to be used on the Vidalia Riverfront to finish painting jobs, repair the splash pad and old pavement, and fix up the public restrooms.

Craft also said he would ask for another $500,000 to be added to the street overlay program and use the additional funds to spruce up neighborhoods with decorative street signs, stop signs, and solar trail lights behind the Vidalia Junior High School.

Alderman Tommy Probst requested more funds to continue trimming problem trees. Alderman Tron McCoy requested the city evaluate the older trees and consider how some can be saved. McCoy also asked the town to consider adding a small park area on Clinton Street, where people tend to congregate under shade trees already. He also requested that $50,000 be added to the budget to clean up blighted or condemned properties.

Alderman Jon Betts asked for the continuation of the plans for Polk Park, which is being done in phases adjacent to the municipal complex to potentially include picnic areas, a dog park, a disc golf course, water features in the pond, playgrounds, a skate park, walking trails and more.

Alderman Brent Smith asked for turf around one of the ball fields to help make them accessible to children in wheelchairs.

Several of the aldermen expressed that they’d like to continue support for the Cost of Freedom tribute wall, an 80 percent scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. planned for a field near the Riverfront RV Park by Point Man International Ministries of the Miss Lou. The wall would be 360 feet long and 8 feet tall at the apex and would include the names of casualties and tributes to 9/11 first responders and all other wars U.S. soldiers fought in.

“There is some opposition to it. I’ve talked to veterans who said that the only thing they care about with that wall is that their name is not on it,” Craft said. “I would be for it for two reasons. Number one, I believe in what our veterans have done for us. We wouldn’t be here without them. On the other hand, when those boats and visitors stop here in Vidalia, it would give them something to stop there and do. It’s going to be an attraction and the only thing like it in this area.”

The town previously allotted $40,000 for the down payment on the wall. With additional fundraising efforts, Jeff McClure, a member of the Point Man Ministries, said all but $175,000 had been funded to complete the wall itself. McClure added that the ministry still has fundraising goals for additional elements it would like to include around the wall. McClure said that adding sidewalks and a concrete base on which to build the wall would cost north of $300,000.

Craft asked if the town would “take the leap” and fund the wall’s construction, the ministry would focus on continuing fundraisers to maintain it, to which McClure agreed.

Vidalia Beautification Committee President Cassandra Lynch and Vidalia Garden Club President Cindy Galloway collectively asked to decorate the town utility boxes with botanical art. Galloway also requested public art and murals on the Vidalia Riverfront to leave an impression on visitors.

Lynch requested ongoing additions of flowerbeds and benches “where people can sit down and smell the roses,” the sprucing up of the old toll booth, lighting updates to the gazebo, and a maintenance budget for the crystal lights on oak trees and banners along the Vidalia Riverfront.

Lynch also asked the town to consider additional events, such as the revival of the Jim Bowie Festival, to attract visitors throughout the year.

For anyone interested or would like to offer their input, a second public hearing on the Vidalia hydroelectric revenue is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday at Vidalia City Hall.