Museum exhibit design halfway done; $20,000 grant will fund Sugar Ditch documentary

Mr. McKay (S6), presenting to the Tunica County Board on April 29, said the county’s contract for exhibit design and bid documents is roughly halfway complete and that project finances and a bicentennial grant will support an associated documentary.

"The contract that you approved was 54,000 for the design and the bid documents," McKay told the board, adding that, to date, the project has been paid $28,009.70, leaving a balance of about $25,030. He said the project also received a $20,000 bicentennial grant to produce a one-hour documentary about the Sugar Ditch; the grant required a dollar-for-dollar local match, which the county is meeting with funds from the contract.

McKay said the team is about 50% through the design process but had experienced a slight delay of roughly 60 days while scheduling oral-history interviews. He estimated an additional 15–20 days will be needed to get back on schedule and said that oral-history interviews and a round table of community leaders will be central to the exhibit content (the "Tunica Today" exhibit will draw on those interviews). Printed versions of the update will be provided to the board.

"We've been paid $28,009.70," McKay said. He added the pause in schedule was expected to be made up in production and that the documentary will be broadcast on public television across Mississippi and in neighboring states.

Board members had no further substantive questions during the report; McKay offered to remain if members desired follow-up inquiries.