City, county workers to repair wall damaged by days of rain|[10/20/06]

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 20, 2006

Vicksburg and Warren County officials agreed this morning on a plan to stabilize a collapsed downtown retaining wall damaged during heavy rains this week.

The decision follows a declaration of a state of emergency at a special meeting Thursday.

The wall is between the Warren County Board of Supervisors building on Jackson Street and the Vicksburg Municipal Auditorium on Monroe Street. Research was being done to determine who owns the wall – the city or the county.

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However, officials from both sides agreed this morning to go ahead with repairs and that the county’s engineering firm, ABMB Engineers, would lead the project. The plan is for city and county workers to work together, said city public works director James &#8220Bubba” Rainer.

More than 6 inches of rain fell Monday, and about 1.2 inches fell Wednesday night and Thursday morning – at least double the average for October. As rain subsided late Thursday morning, city crews worked to prevent further damage to the wall.

&#8220We tried to stabilize it as best we could,” Rainer said.

Also during this week’s rains, the city’s wastewater treatment plant on Rifle Range Road flooded, and now needs electrical work and some new equipment, said its director, Rosemary Bagby.

The work could cost $7,500 to $8,500, and is expected to be finished in about a week, she said.

The plant lost no function because of the damage.