VIDALIA, La. – Mayor Hyram Copeland was welcomed back at Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting.

&uot;I, above all, am glad to have you back,&uot; said Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem Bill Murray, who filled in for Copeland during his recent triple bypass surgery.

City Judge George Murray swore in Copeland and aldermen Ricky Knapp, Murray, Maureen &uot;Mo&uot; Saunders, Vernon Stevens and Carter Warner.

Copeland began his new term by thanking the people of Vidalia for their prayers. &uot;Vidalia is very fortunate to have a Board that works together,&uot; he said. &uot;And we are fortunate to be able to serve the people of this community.&uot;

As their first order of business, the board accepted bids for water and sewer service to the Vidalia Landing site on the riverfront.

Bids were Camo Construction, $159,476; Pickett Industries, $189,167; G.D. Womack Trenching, $155,491; Greenbriar DSLP, $121,474; and Georgetown Construction bid $151,438.

The board then awarded the bid for the sandbar sewer lift station to Coushatta Empire, Inc., which bid $161,450, the lowest offer received.

After approving the hiring of fireman Shelton Hawthorne, the aldermen approved the following appointments for 2000-01:

–Jack McLemore, city attorney.

–Vicki Byrnes, city clerk and tax collector.

–Fay Garretson, assistant city clerk.

–Knapp, mayor pro tem.

Department directors include Guy Thompson, utilities; Huey Richmond, streets; Fire Chief Jack Langston; Office Manager Fay Garretson; and Hammers.

Occupational licenses were approved for Rena’s, 704 Carter St.; Four Rivers Home Care, Inc., 11 Cedar St.; MLK Car Wash (contingent upon drainage inspection), corner of Martin Luther King Street and John Dale Drive; Gracie’s Place, 709 Carter St.; and Floyd’s Sales, 1103 Peach St.

Economic Development Director Linda Gardner asked for a street to be named Riverview Parkway in time for it to appear on the new Vidalia street map. The maps will be out in late August or early September, Gardner said.

The board voted to start procedures necessary to solicit bids on a new fire truck. Vidalia owns two fire trucks, one 30 years old and one 15 years old. After bids are accepted, actually getting the truck delivered will take nine months to one year.

Aldermen also gave a vote of support to First Baptist Church’s upcoming mission trip to England.