City Council moves forward with budget

The Picayune City Council approved the budget for fiscal year 2021 for the city of Picayune which will begin on October 1, 2020. The budget for all revenue sources is shown as $35,462,774. The budget does not include a tax increase for the residents of the city of Picayune. The council will officially adopt the budget at their next meeting on September 15.

Also during the meeting, the council approved to move forward with accepting the final design of bathrooms to be built at Friendship Park and Leola Jordan Park. Director of Public Works, Eric Morris, and Jonathan Hickman of Dungan Engineering, representing the City Engineers office, fielded concerns from Councilman Larry Breland about the estimated costs for construction of the bathrooms.

Councilman Breland questioned the preliminary costs of the bathrooms, which were $55,000 (218 square feet) for Friendship Park and $50,000 (200 square feet) for Leola Jordan Park. Breland contended that $300 per square foot was expensive, but Morris and Hickman told Breland the cost were in line with the going rate for commercial construction at this time.

Morris explained that two of the main factors for the cost were split-face cinder block walls and stainless steel fixtures, both of which should make them very resilient and long lasting. Morris said the design will also present pleasing aesthetics and maintenance free.