A Warren Avenue bridge is once again getting city fathers’attention, and they plan to seek railroad assistance in getting theoverpass repaired.

Ward 3 Alderman the Rev. Jerry L. Wilson raised the issue atTuesday’s meeting of the mayor and board of aldermen. Due to itspoor condition, Wilson said he would like to condemn the bridge,tear it down and build a new one.

“Somebody’s going to get hurt sooner or later,” Wilson said.

In years past, the bridge has been closed and reopened severaltimes. Ward 2 Alderman Terry Bates agreed with Wilson; however, hequestioned what impact closing the bridge would have on trafficflow in the area.

The previous administration explored the possibility of a newbridge but did not pursue it due to right-of-way acquisitionconcerns. The possibility of an arched culvert under the bridge hasbeen considered but has not become a reality.

City officials Tuesday said the bridge is the railroad’sresponsibility. Wilson seemed skeptical of railroad officials’commitment to its repair.

“They just talk good and then we never hear from them,” Wilsonsaid.

Alderman-at-large Henry Newman questioned what role theMississippi Department of Transportation would have in the matter.If MDOT does not have some authority, he believed there is somefederal oversight regarding railroad bridges.

Aldermen agreed to ask railroad and MDOT officials to attend thenext board meeting.

Also Tuesday, questions about the city’s beer permit ordinancefor consumption on premises have arisen following a South FirstStreet business’ attempt to re-open.

“We have an ordinance that has absolutely no teeth in it,” saidCity Attorney Joe Fernald at the beginning of a discussion about apermit for The Other Place.

City laws require a business to have at least 50 percent foodsales and be open one year in order to get a beer permit. Fernaldsaid there are no provisions for verifying the 50 percent foodrequirement.

Regarding The Other Place, it was closed several months agoafter owners did not renew a privilege license. They are now in theprocess of getting another one, and City Tax Collector PatDuckworth said she could not issue a beer permit until the licenseis obtained.

With the business re-opening, Fernald had a question about theone-year requirement.

“I think that stops everything, and they have to start all overagain,” he said.

Wilson said several times he was against giving the business abeer permit. Aldermen tabled the beer permit request to allowFernald time to review the law and get a clarification from theAttorney General’s Office.

A beer permit for Best Inns and Suites was approved 4-2, withWilson and Ward 6 Aldermen John E. “Buddy” Allen opposed. Ward 1Alderman Dorsey Cameron was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting.

In other business during a relatively short meeting, Fernaldsaid the city is encountering some difficulty in obtainingright-of-way easements for a Field Lark Lane sewer improvementproject. The attorney did not go into details, but said the mattermust be resolved before work can begin on the project.

Praising his work, Bates suggested officials consider a raisefor the city’s animal control officer. However, City Clerk IrisRudman and Mayor Bill Godbold said the area is currently overbudget in the salary category and efforts were needed to reduceovertime.

In another personnel issue, aldermen went into a brief executivesession to discuss an inter-department employee matter. Followingthe session, aldermen approved a raise for an employee who splitstime between the city Tax, Water and Building Inspector’soffices.