WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Who's handling roadwork in the City of Byram?

Who's handling roadwork in the City of Byram?

By Cheryl Lasseter - bio | email

BYRAM, MS (WLBT) - It's problems like the gaping pothole at Davis and Siwell Roads, and patchwork along major roadways, that have folks living in Byram calling 3 On Your Side, asking when the city will start making improvements.

"Siwell Road was not made for this kind of traffic," says Mayor Nick Tremonte.  He says road improvements are part of the new city's master plan, which is still under construction itself. Right now, the city is working with about $200,000 in sales tax revenue. Tremonte says once more cash is built up, plans for road improvements can begin.

Hinds County is still handling general road maintenance. The state is supposed to be handling the new overlay for Siwell Road, when they tear it up to build the Byram Nowell Parkway. Construction is supposed to begin in the second quarter of 2010.

"Two, two and a half miles from the interstate to Davis Road is gonna be part of the Parkway, so we're not gonna replace that just to have them tear it up," Mayor Tremonte says.

Mayor Temonte reminds us, Byram just became a city on June 25th. There's no staff, except one.

Wayne Derrick is the temporary part-time city clerk for Byram. He worked for years as the city clerk in Clinton. He's happy to help out in Byram, in a makeshift office inside Richard's Auto Shop, owned by Alderman Richard White.  White allows the clerk to work in his establishment free of charge, so as not to create conflict of interest, Tremonte says.

Derrick does the job of many, the old-fashioned way. He doesn't even have a computer yet.

"Basically the city owns no equipment.  You're in infancy when you're starting out with a city like this," he says.

Citizens who want to get on the agenda at a City of Byram meeting of the Mayor and Board of Alderman should call 601-372-7746.