The Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum and Interpretive Center on Washington Street could be operated by the City of Vicksburg in the future, pending discussions between city and state and federal officials, Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said.

“There are some ongoing discussions about whether or not the federal government wants to continue operating the museum,” Flaggs said. “I think they have an operating budget of $300,000. Hopefully, if everything falls right, Mississippi will be in a position in leadership of the (U.S.) House and the Senate … to determine whether or not we can go forward with this museum. We’ve already discussed it. We can manage it, but we can’t absorb a $300,000 (operating) cost without assistance.”

Flaggs’ comments came after the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday approved hiring a part-time worker for the museum, which is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The employee, who will be paid by the city, will perform maintenance at the museum five hours a day, four days a week at a rate of $10 an hour. The employee was approved by the Corps.

“If the state will be a stakeholder and the federal government (will) approve money from the Corps of Engineers, we’d be more than happy to operate it and do some things with modifications such as charge admission,” he said. “We want to make this productive for the city of Vicksburg.”

After the meeting, Flaggs said city officials have been talking with the state’s congressional delegation about the museum for some time, adding the museum will be among the items for further discussion when the city’s delegation makes its annual trip to Washington, D.C. in January.

“For now, what we’re doing is providing a part-time worker,” he said. “I’ve been talking with Sen. (Thad) Cochran’s office, Congressman (Bennie) Thompson and Congressman Gregg Harper’s office and the governor’s office. And the Corps of Engineers.”

The goal of the discussions, he said, is to determine a way for the state and the Corps to assist the city in running the museum, which opened in 2012.

“The bottom line is we think we can promote it, but we cannot afford the operational costs of it,” Flaggs said. “We’re open for discussion. I think that museum can be an added attraction and a great tourism tool for Vicksburg.”

Planned for nearly two decades and financed entirely by appropriations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the then-Lower Mississippi River Museum and Interpretive Center opened in August of 2012. It was named in honor of Jesse Brent, who founded Greenville Towing Company and has been described as the “Granddaddy of the Towboat Industry.

The Corps in 2012 hired Service Specialists Ltd. to provide staff and interpretive services and to maintain the building, boat and grounds at the $23 million facility, but did not renew the contract for 2014, and the museum has been staffed by volunteers.

On the agenda

Meeting Monday, the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen:

• Recognized the following employees on their anniversaries with the city: 20 years, Clarence Whitaker, fire department; 15 years, Bobby Robinson, legal; five years, Katrina Flaggs, IT, Deborah Nickson, city clerk’s office, and Marquita Harris, police.

• Approved the following additions to the city employee driving list; Zachary Smith, water treatment; Natasha McGrigg, Christy Lick and Marquita Harris, police.

• Granted permission for the Optimist Club of Vicksburg to use the lot on Pemberton Square Boulevard by the monument to sell Christmas trees.

• Adopted the following items for the Homeowners Rehabilitation Program: affirmative marketing plan and resolution, minority and women’s business enterprise plan resolution, Section 3 action plan and resolution. The city is applying for a Homeowners Rehabilitation Program Grant from the Mississippi Development Authority to improve housing for the elderly and low-income residents.

• Authorized Mayor George Flaggs Jr. to sign a contract for a surplus property personnel screener certification application for Vicksburg Municipal Airport Director Sam Washington. The certification will allow Washington to purchase equipment declared surplus by the Federal Aviation Administration.

• Authorized Flaggs to sign a contract for $2,620 a year with Front Porch Fodder for social media management services.