During its regular meeting Thursday, the Tallulah City Council took one of the final steps toward beginning rehabilitation of the city's water plant.
In an unanimous vote, the council approved a resolution, "granting preliminary authority for the City of Tallulah, State of Louisiana, to issue, sell and deliver water revenue bonds, in one or more series, in an amount not to exceed seven million eight hundred thousand dollars ($7,800,000) in one or more series; to provide interim and permanent financing for the purposes of financing the cost of construction and acquiring additions, extensions and improvements to the city's water system; seeking Louisiana State Bond Commission approval; providing for the employment of bond counsel; and providing for other matters in connection therewith."
Mayor Charles Finlayson said the resolution is "the next step in getting the water plant rehabilitation started," satisfying the terms of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) $4 million loan - which includes an additional $3,700,000 grant - and ultimately receiving approval from the bond commission. Finlayson said the application is expected to reach the bond commission in June as part of the the final steps before work on the plant can begin.
"It's been a long time coming," he said. "But, the end is in sight."
In other business, the council: approved an occupational license for Adrian Nelson, owner of Downright Nutrition, LLC, which will replace The Nutrition Wagon in downtown Tallulah; approved a resolution granting authorization for the City of Tallulah to submit an application to the "Love Louisiana Outdoors" Community Development Block Grant program and authorizing Finlayson, or a representative in his absence, signatory authority for all documents (used toward a new program encouraging physical fitness through walking trails, etc. and designated toward the use of rehabilitating Tallulah City Park and the park area of the "fairgrounds") ; approved a resolution authorizing, designating and appointing Finlayson, or a representative in his absence, to perform all duties and administration of Delta Regional Authority (DRA) awards (used toward repairing streets and sidewalks from East Elm to approximately the Kentucky Fried Chicken location in Tallulah); approved a resolution accepting the bid of $221,000 from Skylan Construction, Inc. for the City of Tallulah oxidation pond improvements; and approved a contract allowing for the attachment of the cost of a new fire truck for Tallulah Fire Department to an existing loan, taking the remaining balance from $32,000 to $44,000.
