Continued funding for a bridge repair program and state matchingmoney for a proposed National Guard facility in Monticello remainpossibilities for a legislative special session later this year,officials said.

Funding for those projects and others were part of a bond billthat failed during the 2004 regular session. There was talkrecently of bringing the bill up again during a possible specialsession for a state economic development project.

Dist. 39 Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith mentioned the possibility of aspecial session in September or October.

“I don’t look for anything that can’t wait until then,”Hyde-Smith said.

Changes in the state’s Medicaid program could be one reason fora session after Sept. 15. The senator said Gov. Haley Barbour maywant to include the program in the session’s call if Medicaidissues are not resolved.

Dist. 53 Rep. Bobby Moak said he had heard some rumors about aspecial session, but nothing definite. He said state Institutionsof Higher Learning and community colleges, which had projects inthe bond bill, would like to see it revived.

Hyde-Smith and Moak were interested in the Local System BridgeProgram (LSBP) being funded. In the bond bill, $20 million wasincluded to fund the program for another year.

“I certainly feel there’s a need to continue that program,” Moaksaid.

Lincoln County has been one of the more active counties inutilizing LSBP money to repair and replace county bridges. DistrictThree Supervisor Nolan Earl Williamson said the program needs tocontinue.

“That’s the most important program in the state,” Williamsonsaid. “If somebody don’t agree with that, they’ve got their head inthe wrong place.”

Also in the bond bill was approximately $1.6 million for a newNational Guard armory in Monticello. Hyde-Smith said the statemoney would be used to match about $4 million in federaldollars.

“We have to have our state money before the federal money willbe released,” Hyde-Smith said.

The senator said many people on the local, state and federallevels had worked hard on the armory project. She said the deal wassealed both locally and federally.

Built in the 1950s, the current facility is one of the oldest inthe state, Hyde-Smith said.

“Our need is great,” she said.

Pending the state matching funds, Hyde-Smith said she hoped tobreak ground on the new facility in 2005. The facility wouldinclude a battalion headquarters, an organizational maintenanceshop and possibly a civic center for community use.

“We’re going to have a nice facility over there,” Hyde-Smithsaid.