Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ — Funding of $2.4 million in improvements of Morgantown Road in Natchez is included in the final federal 2022 Omnibus Spending bill, agreed upon by leaders of both houses of Congress.

Gregg Harper, whose firm has been hired to lobby for the City of Natchez and Adams County, reported the news via text message to Adams County Supervisor Angela Hutchins, Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson and Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ this morning.

Gibson said the U.S. House is expected to vote on the bill today and the U.S. Senate is expected to take up the measure next week.

“With this news, we’ve cleared a major hurdle,” Gibson said this morning.

Harper said many thanks are due to U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and her staff and Congressman Michael Guest.

Gibson also thanked U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and Guest for “their steadfast support.”

He also thanked Harper and Manny McPhillips, lobbyists, “for all of their heavy lifting.”

Gibson said he was “so proud of the collaboration on this by the City of Natchez and Adams County.