A day after the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved an interlocal agreement with the Warren County Board of Supervisors to help fund NRoute, Mayor Laurence Leyens said the public transportation system’s administrators need to work harder to generate more funds from private advertisers.

“They’re not doing their jobs,” Leyens said. “They’ve been completely autonomous for more than a year and we haven’t seen any real progress. They haven’t generated a dime through advertising.”

NRoute, which operates mini-buses on fixed routes, began operations in June 2006 as a department of the City of Vicksburg. It became an independent operation in February 2007. Leyens said one of the main reasons NRoute was made independent was so it could sell advertising space inside and outside of the buses, as well as on bus stop benches – which the city cannot do legally.

NRoute Executive Director Evelyn Bumpers said unforeseen holdups have hindered ad sales, but assured salesmen were gearing up to work more aggressively to generate revenue. Bumpers said various companies have shown an interest in advertising on bus stop benches, but the NRoute board ran up against some legal issues that have yet to be answered.

“We’re still going through the legalities and waiting to find out if we can sell bench space for advertising,” said Bumpers. “The process has started, but it was halted temporarily. We’re putting together a marketing and promo package right now, and gearing up to go out and aggressively seek the community’s support.”

A federal grant of $1 million was used to start the transportation system and purchase a fleet of six vehicles two years ago. NRoute has since expanded to include nine buses and nine routes. Gertrude Young, former North Ward alderman, chairs the administrative board and said she is optimistic about ad sales.

“We have been frustrated in some ways, but we’ve been working to present the right product to our sponsors. That’s why we haven’t been as aggressive in the past,” she said. “We’ve created some brochures, we have some verbal commitments and we’re able to go forth now.”

NRoute operating funds have come largely from the City of Vicksburg and donations from local businesses and agencies. NRoute is operating on an estimated $600,000 budget this year. Between 10 percent and 15 percent of the total outlay is raised through fares. The service has never been expected to break even, but every dollar raised through fares, donations and advertising would offset direct allocations.

The agreement approved by the city board Monday allows for NRoute to receive $35,000 from Warren County for operations this fiscal year. NRoute has asked the county for $75,000 for next fiscal year, but County Administrator John Smith said he is recommending level funding.

Leyens pledged three years of city support at the system’s outset, said the city supported the public transportation system with $250,000 under the current budget, but would not estimate how much money might be dedicated to NRoute in the next fiscal year. Vicksburg Strategic Planner Paul Rogers said he did not know how much money NRoute was requesting in the upcoming budget.

“We know we’ll be making a substantial contribution again,” Leyens said. “If we don’t they’ll go out of business.”

On the agendaMeeting Monday, Vicksburg officials:Received bids for two lots of surplus property. William Nelson bid $359 for a lot at 1725 Martin Luther King Blvd. Isaiah Jones bid $100 for a lot known as Harrisburg, no specific address available.Agreed to buy traffic signal components from Temple Inc. of Decatur, Ala., based on bids for 33 line items at various prices.Updated the purchasing manual to increase the purchasing limit to $25,000.Approved a request from Daisy Anderson, Amber Russell and Lee Ann Clark to hold an ice-cream social and bowl benefit at Crawford Square between Washington Street and Gordon Alley.Approved a budget amendment to transfer $3,500 from the administrative budget to the accounting budget for the purchase of furniture and computer equipment.Authorized a contract with Canton-based Williford, Gearhart & Knight Engineers and Surveyors for a total of $70,190 to complete 2008 NRCS drainage improvements in the Halls Ferry Road and Hills of the Valley Street areas.Authorized the mayor to execute the local system bridge program agreement for municipalities.Adopted an inter-local agreement with Warren County to support NRoute public transportation.Received a recommendation from the Urban Renewal Review Committee to sell a vacant lot south of Fred’s store on Washington Street, as well as a piece of property between Willie Dixon Way and Mulberry streets, to Vancouver, Wash.-based Pinnacle Marketing Group for development of an entertainment complex and residential use.Authorized the preparation and submittal of an application to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Division of Public Safety Planning, for funding under the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws grant program.Approved a request from the Vicksburg Police Department to place two vehicles into unmarked inventory.Authorized applying for funds under the National Emergency Medicine Association grant program. If awarded, a grant of up to $10,000 would have to be supported by a 25 percent local match.Authorized an extension of the contract period to Jan. 31 to use any unspent funds benefiting the Good Shepherd Community Child Care Center.Authorized applying to the Mississippi Forestry Commission for funds under the 2008 Transportation Enhancement Tree Planting Program.Accepted a letter establishing special assessment for, and adopted a resolution for cutting and clearing of 1905 Clay St., owned by Henry V. Bailey III; 2825 Arcadia St., owned by Georgia Boykins; and 2023 Oak St., owned by Bobby Williams and Wade Carter.Approved publication of a budget hearing scheduled for Aug. 20 at 6 p.m.

In executive session, the board approved three new employees and terminations in the gas, parks and recreation maintenance, street and sewer departments.