IHL Board approves Blackjack agreement
The county’s ongoing Blackjack Road project took another step forward Thursday morning, with the approval of an interlocal agreement between Mississippi State University and Oktibbeha County.
The agreement was taken on consent at the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning meeting Thursday morning in Jackson, and will allow the county and MSU to work cooperatively to improve Blackjack Road. The university will also transfer $1.2 million to the county for the project, and the county and the university will work together to attempt to get a $2 million bond for the project during the 2020 legislative session. If the bond is obtained, the county will reimburse $900,000 to MSU. The total project cost is estimated to be approximately $10 million.
“The county and MSU continue to be great partners on the Blackjack Road project,” said District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller. “Today the next step in this important process was completed.”
District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer, whose district includes parts of Blackjack Road, also expressed satisfaction with the measure passing.
“That is tremendous,” Trainer said. “We’ve gotten so many calls, complaints and concerns about Blackjack, and I’m happy to see that even in the midst of this (coronavirus) situation, the government’s still moving along.”
Trainer also spoke to the plan to try to get some money from the state, once the legislature returns to session. The state Legislature has adjourned until April 1 due to the COVID-19 threat.
“We’re confident that once they come back, we’ll find somewhere, so we’ll find enough money to finish this project, and we‘ve got a little time,” Trainer said. “I’m not sure, but I know that’s going to be probably a two-year project.”
In February, the board opened bids for the project, ultimately voting to award the project to Burns Dirt Construction, at approximately $8 million. The Burns Dirt bid was the second lowest the county received for the project.
“I’m sure they’ll be getting out there sometime soon and putting up the signage and everything to let people know about the construction zones,” Trainer said.