Byram board approves bridge/sidewalk work, awards $698,400 bid and OKs festival spending

At a regularly scheduled meeting the Mayor and Board of Aldermen approved a slate of consent‑agenda and action items covering local infrastructure, festival logistics and the claims docket.

The board voted to proceed with a Davis Road bridge/paving effort and to hire McMaster & Associates for engineering oversight for the paving project. Separately, members voted to accept the low construction bid from Fordyce Construction for $698,400 for the agenda's listed construction item.

The board also acknowledged state funding for a sidewalk project on Terry Road and approved moving that project forward with motions recorded on the consent agenda. The clerk presented a claims docket for payment covering April 15 through May 6 totaling $731,475.08; the board approved the claims docket by voice vote.

Festival and events spending was also on the docket. An events organizer presented three vendor quotes for carnival rides; the board approved a one‑day package of three rides plus a mechanical bull from a local company at a total cost of $7,555.50. The board subsequently approved an additional inflatables/activity package priced at about $875 to provide youth activities and ticketing options at the Swinging Bridge Festival.

Quotes and votes were presented in public. The events presenter noted the selected vendor was local and therefore charged less because it did not require travel or hotel expenses. "Our cost would be $7,555.50 for the mechanical bull the swing and the parachute," the presenter said.

Votes at a glance - Fordyce Construction low bid accepted: $698,400 (motion approved by roll call; unanimous yeses among present aldermen) - McMaster & Associates engineering contract for Davis Road paving: approved (consent agenda) - Terry Road sidewalk (state funds): moved forward (consent agenda) - Claims docket: $731,475.08 approved (consent agenda) - Swinging Bridge Festival: rides approved $7,555.50; inflatables and activity package approved ~$875

What was not authorized: The board took no action to appropriate general fund money to repair privately owned roads raised during public comment; instead the board directed staff to research recorded covenants and legal options.

Documentation: the clerk said the motions and votes, including the executive‑session actions, would be reflected in the official minutes.