Tuesday night the Poplarville Board of Aldermen held a special call meeting to review their budget and approve a project agreement.

With the Board’s approval Mayor Louise Smith and City Clerk Marnie Ready signed a Land and Water Conservation Fund agreement in the amount of $76,776. The grant funds will be used toe repair a pier at Polar Spring Lake. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) approved the grant and will match 50 percent of the funds with the Board. The Board will cover the cost of labor and materials. Both will cover 25 percent for grant in the amount of $19,194.09. The MDWFP will give the Board the remaining 50 percent in the amount of $38.388.17.

Poplarville Fire Chief Jason Bannister was approved by the Board to hire Dylan Duncan as apart-time firefighter. Duncan is certified and has worked as full-time firefighter with the Picayune Fire Department. He will fill the department’s emply spot effective Aug. 24.

The Board then approved the hiring of Water Clerk Emalyn Shockey, effective Sept. 6, 2022.

In other business the Board held a workshop to review their upcoming 2022-2023 fiscal year budget. In the general fund, expenditures total $2.6 million and revenue is expected to come in at $2.6 million.  Budgets for individual departments are as followed.

Mayor and Board – $109,974

Court – $91,451

Administrative – $308,552

Police Department – $756,769

Fire Department – $462,845

Debt – $13,327

Code Enforcement – $18,279

Road Department – $443,418

Sanitation and Garbage Collection – $197,184

Parks, Recreation and Library – $108,727

Cemetery – $20,000

Airport – $3,500

Water and Sewer – $1,110,663. The total expenditures for water and sewer add up to $1,182.015 and total revenue is expected to total  $1,206,674.

The Board also approved minutes from special call meetings held on July 14, 19, 21, 26, 27 and August 2, 8 and 11.

The Board will hold a public hearing concerning the proposed budget at its next meeting set for Sept. 6, 2022 at 5 p.m.