The Board of Mayor and Aldermen have declared an emergency to repair the lighting system at the city’s north parking garage.

The emergency declaration approved Tuesday allows the board to bypass the state’s bid laws and get quotes from contractors instead of going through the bid process, which can take several months before a contractor is selected to do the work.

“We had to declare the emergency for public safety, and I didn’t want to have to jump through hoops to get someone to fix it,” said Mayor George Flaggs Jr., adding the garage is across Mulberry Street from Margaritaville, and guests at the resort use the parking area when they stay at the hotel.

He said the problem involves a short in the garage’s electrical panel that knocked out its electrical system.

“They (building maintenance) had to order the parts,” he said.

Presently, he said, the city is using a generator to power the lights and has a security guard patrolling the parking garage at night.

Money for the project is coming from $500,000 in state general obligation bonds set aside for the city in the 2016 session of the Legislature for “paying costs associated with the recruiting, promotion, construction and/or development of tourism projects in the city.”

The board in November approved a resolution asking for the money.

South Ward Alderman Alex Monosur said the money will be used to improve both of the city’s parking garages and build a small splash pad at the community garden site off U.S. 61 South at the Vicksburg Municipal Airport.