City officials voted Monday to demolish buildings or cut lots at 49 properties across Vicksburg including the site of the former Kmart discount department store.

The city’s building inspector’s department presents properties to the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen usually twice a month for approval to use taxpayer dollars to clean the sites and place a lien on the property. The board granted permission to take down 24 buildings deemed not in compliance with city codes and to cut 25 overgrown lots including the property at the vacant store on Pemberton Square Boulevard.

“This is the most properties we’ve ever brought to the board,” said Victor Gray-Lewis, building inspector administrator.

The local Kmart closed June 2 after the national company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. The Vicksburg store was among 284 the retailer closed.

The property owned by Jerome Pearlman & Faith Trustees has been for sale since and, at one point, was eyed for the new Home Depot, which is now being developed off South Frontage Road.

Gray-Lewis said the property was mowed once this summer by a maintenance crew under contract with the owners and that he would attempt to contact the owners about the property before spending taxpayers’ money.

“If the maintenance crew won’t go ahead and do it, then we’ll go ahead and do it and bill the owners,” he said.

But, Mayor Laurence Leyens said he isn’t confident the owners will do it.

“We’ve talked to them a number of times, and they don’t seem to care,” Leyens said.

Kmart opened the 87,000-square-foot Vicksburg store on Pemberton Boulevard in July 1991. In 1999, supermarket items were added, and the name was changed to Big Kmart.

In other matters, the city board:

Received bids for playground equipment at the Jackson Street Community Center.

Approved a budget change of $2,500 for legal services for the Hancor Inc., rail spur project. The project is being funded through a Mississippi Community Development Block Grant.

Entered a contract with Allen & Hopson LLC to find an alternative to lime sludge disposal at the Vicksburg Water Treatment Plant.

Approved a $300 half-page advertisement for the River City Business & Professional Women’s booklet for the Jingle Bell Junction.

Approved a $7,500 allocation to the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Accepted an application for a tax exemption for the Cinnamon Tree, 1322 Washington St.

Vacated a portion of Lincoln Avenue to Michael and Sharon Dotson.

In a 2-1 vote, voted to set a public hearing at 10 a.m. Nov. 18 for the appeal of N2 Worms regarding a previous decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals. North Ward Alderman Gertrude Young opposed setting the hearing.

Discussed possible changes to the city’s ordinance governing taxis.

Approved the purchase of 15 mounted vehicle cameras for use in Vicksburg police cars for $48,795.

The city board will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday at City Hall Annex.