Meeting Friday, in the absence of Mayor Paul Winfield, the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen:

• Acknowledged the employment anniversaries with the city for: Eldridge Skinner, 25 years, animal control; James “Pat” McGuffie, 15 years, water treatment plant; Demaris Martin, five years, gas department; and Thomas Williams, five years, police department.

• Gave Hannah Marlene Nettle a certificate of recognition for assisting police last week.

• Awarded sealed bids for National Resource Conservation Service projects on Pauline Drive in Kings and on North Frontage Road near Travel Inn to Arrowhead Enterprises of Vicksburg at $72,866 and $248,497.

• Awarded a sealed bid for Riverfront Park maintenance to R&J Handyman Service of Vicksburg, at $20,758 a year for lawn care, watering, pest control, refuse removal, raking of wood chips and lock-up services.

• OK’d the purchase of Scourge for mosquito spray supplies from ADAPCO Inc. for $76,403.25.

• OK’d advertising for sealed bids for fire hydrants, traffic signal components and elevator and escalator maintenance.

• OK’d a guaranty and release agreement with Columbia Sussex Corporation and Tropicana Entertainment Inc. City Attorney Lee Davis Thames said both companies are affiliated parent companies of Horizon Casino, and the action transfers financial responsibility to Tropicana instead of Columbia Sussex in the event the casino cannot fulfill lease payments to the city.

• OK’d multiple budget amendments.

• OK’d contracting with Neel-Schaffer for engineering services on a new Federal Aviation Administration-approved fence around the Vicksburg Municipal Airport on U.S. 61 South at a cost of $4,000.

• OK’d final close-out documents on the taxiway refurbishment project at the Vicksburg Municipal Airport. The project costs $88,012.50, of which the city was responsible for 2.5 percent, or $2,200.31. An FAA grant paid for the rest.

• OK’d a change in scope for the $150,000 Preserve America Grant, for which it is providing a 100 percent match, to allow for the design and purchase of three permanent kiosks telling the story of the Civil War Vicksburg Campaign. The kiosks will be placed in Vicksburg, Raymond and Port Gibson, which all partnered to get the grant. Bids will be taken out on the design and construction. The grant will be used to promote the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, beginning next year.

• OK’d a $1,000 building facade grant to Adolph Rose Antiques, 717 Clay St., owned by Malcolm Allred.

• OK’d July and August Vicksburg Main Street Program advertising totaling $3,728.

• Gave the building and inspections department permission to cut and clean the following properties found noncompliant with property maintenance codes: 1617 Sky Farm Ave., 929 Meadow St. and 110 Colonial Drive. A burned building is also to be removed from 1404 Main St., and vines are to be taken off a home at 103 Lovers Lane.

• OK’d special assessments on the following properties found noncompliant with maintenance codes where the city has performed work: 2047 Sky Farm Ave., owned by Catherine S. Kinney; Lane St. PPIN#15370, owned by Larry D. Minor; 1729 Military Ave., owned by Rachael Neal in care of James Warren Sr.; Hunt Street PPIN#15250, owned by Nelson Cotton Properties; 1403 Sky Farm Ave., owned by Cecil Perkins; and 415 Locust St., 2503 Togo St. and East Avenue PPIN#16362, all owned by State of Mississippi.

• OK’d additions to the employee driving list: Rosie Porter, police department, and Rickey Hall and Jerrick Neal, both in the sewer department.

• OK’d reports for: city cemetery, privilege license, monthly tax collection, delinquent tax collection, detail budget, claims docket and mayor and treasure.

In closed session, the board:

• OK’d one longevity pay raise in each the water treatment, gas and police departments.

• OK’d one new hire in the gas department.

• OK’d one pay adjustment in the fire department

The board is scheduled to meet next at 10 a.m. Aug. 2 in room 109 of the City Hall Annex, 1415 Walnut St.