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Tunica County OKs engineering contracts to advance water, wastewater facility plans
Summary
Board approved two $20,000 engineering agreements with Neil Schaefer for clean-water (wastewater) and drinking-water SRF facility plans to allow Tunica County/T C U D to pursue low-interest loans and related grants; discussion focused on eliminating the White Oak lagoon and securing grant forgiveness/match waivers.
Tunica County supervisors voted July 7 to hire an engineering consultant to prepare State Revolving Loan (SRF) facility plans for the county’s drinking-water and wastewater systems, authorizing two separate $20,000 agreements with engineer Neil Schaefer.
David Bowman, a Tunica County Utility District (TCUD) representative, told the board the utility is wrapping up ARPA-funded work and is preparing for CDBG-funded projects, including eliminating an aging lagoon at the White Oak Subdivision. He said SRF facility plans are required to access low-interest SRF loans (noting 0.9% for 20 years or 1.9% for 30 years quoted by staff) and that having an up-to-date facility plan also improves the utility’s readiness for grant opportunities and potential partial loan forgiveness.
Bowman and the consultant described the scope as systemwide — covering the North plant, Dundee area and the broader collection system — and emphasized that without grants or loan funding, facilities could continue to deteriorate. The board also heard that the utility has an available $6.7 million grant package (Delta Regional Authority money referenced) and that demographic eligibility may qualify the county for a match waiver; supervisors approved sending a letter requesting the match waiver.
The board approved both engineering agreements and the match-waiver request in separate motions. Supervisors were told that when facility plans are completed, the county will be eligible to enter SRF loan queues and pursue a mix of grant and loan financing for upgrades, pump rehabilitation and lagoon elimination plans.
Next steps noted at the meeting included completing the facility plans, returning to the board to advertise construction work when funded, and ongoing coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Dundee-area projects.
