An architect was hired to begin designing a new roof for Vicksburg Auditorium by the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen at a meeting Monday.

In the business session, the board also authorized a $15,299 payment for a breaker that blew at the Vicksburg Waste Water Treatment Plant two weeks ago and was replaced.

The auditorium, which opened in 1952, has been leaky since Venuworks began managing it in 2001, said Larry Gawronski, executive director of the contract management firm. He said $150,000 has been budgeted for the roof replacement. While a portion of the roof over the performance area was replaced in 1997, Gawronski said the rest appears to be original. 

Canizaro, Cawthon and Davis Architects of Jackson will design the roof, and are to be paid $8,000 plus expenses for their service. The company has nine months to complete the design. Gawronski said other upgrades such as the restoration of the auditorium’s hardwood floor and stage, installation of a new heating ventilation and air conditioning unit, and new internal lighting have been completed since 2001.

Separately, the board declared an emergency at the Waste Water Treatment Plant, although the blown-out breaker had been replaced weeks ago. South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman said the declaration was made solely to get the incident on record. 

Waste Water Treatment Plant Manager Mark Engdahl said the 200-amp, 600-volt breaker blew out in the plant’s main pump room on Feb. 14 around 6:40 a.m. While the plant was without a clarifier and sludge pump for about eight hours, overall operations were not interrupted, said Engdahl. The breaker was replaced on Feb. 25.

Mayor Laurence Leyens was absent from the meeting.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com.