The city of Vicksburg will pay a 20 percent match to acquire a trolley for NRoute, the board of Mayor and Aldermen agreed Tuesday afternoon.

The cost of the trolley, which was ordered by NRoute in late December, is $192,979. A federal transportation grant covers 80 percent of the trolley’s cost. The city’s share is $38,595. The board decided to pay the match at an afternoon work session with NRoute executive director Evelyn Bumpers and NRoute Board president Eva Ford.

North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield said city Accounting Director told him the money for the match should be available from city funds.

Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said the board may call a special meeting to approve the match, which must be paid by Sept. 18 to avoid federal penalties. Bumpers said the trolley was to have been picked up Aug. 18. Under the grant guidelines, she said, the city would be hit with penalties if the bus was not picked up within 30 days.

Flaggs also asked Bumpers to contact the Warren County Board of Supervisors to see if they could contribute part of the match. Bumpers said she initially planned to use state multimodal funds to pay part of the match, but the Mississippi Department of Transportation changed the rules concerning how multimodal funds are used, eliminating agencies like NRoute from using left over funds for discretionary spending.

She said the trolley could be used for special events and for special programs, such as leasing the vehicle for events like weddings or special transportation programs for groups, that NRoute’s bus fleet are prohibited from doing under MDOT regulations.

“I think it’s going to be an asset to Vicksburg. You’ve made a wise choice (to pay the match),” Ford said.