While Warren County awaits final details on one improvement project to be funded by Katrina dollars, supervisors made their participation official on another long-range infrastructure fix Monday.

The county is seeking a $10 million share of $340 million Community Development Block Grant funds for economic development projects and would use most of it to replace the bridge on E.W. Haining Road leading to the Port of Vicksburg.

A bridge capable of handling heavier loads has often been mentioned with connecting U.S. 61 North with the port to increase truck volume. That project is under a round of environmental studies started last year and would involve local matching money.

John Randazzo and Olie Elfer of Gouras Urban Planning Consultants assured the money could also be used to pay for a new 15-ton crane at the port’s T-dock support structure and a new metal storage building.

Part of the array of incentives associated with the Gulf Opportunity Zone, established by Congress after the August 2005 hurricane, the funds are administered by the Mississippi Development Authority and come with categories by which counties and cities can qualify.

Areas around the port were declared blighted by supervisors as part of starting its grant application because the number of jobs created by replacing the bridge was not expected to be enough to ensure the county became eligible for winning a share of the grant.

Cost estimates by county engineers for replacing the bridge have reached about $5 million, with the associated infrastructure replacements pegged at $4 million. Engineering costs and improvements to the road itself, however, could push the total cost of a port access and infrastructure project to $14.8 million, which could require more local cost sharing.

Another option, an elevated road across North Washington Street and a connector road to U.S. 61 has been estimated at $20 million.

As for $3.9 million in similar funds awarded in April for clearing debris from bayous, Elfer said a grant agreement spelling out the project’s precise scope is expected once environmental reviews are completed.

Together, Vicksburg and Warren County were awarded more than $5.2 million in the awards, more than any noncoastal area in the state sharing in the $41 million in CDBG awards.

Geared to infrastructure projects with direct links to Katrina damage, the grant money has been eyed by the city to pay for a new fire station and terminal building at Vicksburg Municipal Airport.

Work to improve flows on Glass, Hatcher and Stouts bayous is slated to be handled as a one-time venture by privately contracted crews. In addition to clearing debris, expanding canal walls to improve flows has been mentioned as a likely component.

On the agendaApproved a base hourly pay of $150 to former board attorney Randy Sherard in case bankruptcy proceedings between Legends Gaming LLC and its creditors.Approved a $27,679.55 estimate on this year’s second Natural Resource Conservation Service anti-erosion project.Approved pay invoices totaling $61,773.80 to County Engineer John McKee and $5,062.50 to Board Attorney Paul Winfield.Approved a letter to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to continue participation in a beaver control program.Approved transferring $22,356.40 from the general fund to the fund to match federal homeland security grants.Approved a $2,342 check to Southern District Constable John Heggins, as per a letter from the state public employees retirement system. It reflected an overpayment of retirement contributions for 2007.