High water threat brings threat of too little money
Published 12:00 am Friday, May 8, 2009
Gaming tax revenue traditionally marked for road projects will have to rise along with river stages to finance more permanent repairs on LeTourneau Road if last year’s flood marks are repeated.
Mississippi River
Today at Vicksburg: 39.0 feet
Crest forecast: 43.5 feet on May 19
Flood stage: 43 feet
Revenue from Vicksburg’s five casinos paid in March to Warren County was slightly higher than the same period a year ago, with a $304,969 payment expected from the state “any day now,” County Administrator John Smith said. The county, which receives 25 percent of a revenue tax casinos pay to the state, received $302,000 in March 2008. Since then, Riverwalk Casino was opened and became the area’s fifth gaming venue.
But, as the Mississippi River’s crest is forecast just above its 43-foot flood stage by May 19, sections of the south Warren County road still graveled from last year’s flood damage could — at best — remain that way for the duration of the year due to budget constraints and an unbudgeted round of anti-erosion projects elsewhere in the county.
An emergency declaration could come by Tuesday if high water threatens the road, the board decided Thursday.
“You don’t want it to get an inch above 45 (feet) because it will be a problem,” said Richard George, District 5 supervisor and board president.
LeTourneau Technologies’ oil rig fabrication yard was accessible only by boat once river stages hit 48 feet during last year’s rise that didn’t crest until water reached 50.9 feet at the Vicksburg gauge. Part of the westbound lane about midway between the yard and U.S. 61 South washed out, prompting a $1 million repair of its supporting soils. A second federal anti-erosion program, via the Natural Resource Conservation Service, was added in the northeastern part of the county. Since bids on both came in under engineering estimates, the board committed $245,670 to a third list of NRCS projects.
On the debit side, increased payments to county employees’ group health insurance plan have hit $667,922 this year, outpacing budget estimates by at least 20 percent. Through March, the county’s take of casino tax revenue is ahead of last year’s by about $2,300 — ordinarily a good sign, now minimized by the possibility of more road repairs near LeTourneau.
Forecasts on the county’s “working capital,” estimated at $445,007 coming into the fiscal year, vary greatly and have the board in a wait-and-see mode along with river watchers.
“I think with the money situation like it is, we may have to roll the dice on this one,” District 4 Supervisor Bill Lauderdale said.
The county sought and was all but approved for a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant to finance permanent work to repair the remaining flood-damaged portion of LeTourneau Road.
However, plant officials at LeTourneau did not sign off the program administered by the Mississippi Development Authority because the facility was not confident about meeting employment minimums tied to the money. The road is the primary access to the plant, which cut its labor force by a third in 2008 due to the economic recession.
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Contact Danny Barrett Jr. at dbarrett@vicksburgpost.com