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The act is a 2009 state law that allows unincorporated areas without local governments to apply for grants. The law was authored by District 53 Rep. Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, and signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour in March.
County supervisors serve as the administering agents for the grant, and are seeking it with the assistance of the Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District.
"I'm telling you, it's a good deal," said District Three Supervisor Nolan Williamson, whose district contains Bogue Chitto. "With this, we can do some overlaying and some drainage work. All that water coming off Highway 51 runs all the way through downtown Bogue Chitto. We've been doing what we can, but that's great news for Bogue Chitto."
County engineer Ryan Holmes, a civil engineer with Dungan Engineering, PA, said the project would stop erosion and the deterioration of roads by leveling, grading and concreting some ditches in the center of the community, especially near Bogue Chitto Attendance Center.
Holmes said the plans call for ditch reshaping work along Monticello, Brister and Peter streets, including the repaving of Monticello Street from Highway 51 to the Bogue Chitto Bridge. New street signs will be erected once the work is done, he said.
"It's an ongoing issue that Supervisor Williamson has had to deal with," Holmes said. "When it comes a large rain event, he has problems with erosion and he has to fix it again and again. We think we have a solution that will prevent him from having these issues reoccur."
The project is estimated to cost $114,500, with the remaining $14,500 in expenses not covered by the $100,000 grant to be donated in kind by Williamson, who will lend his equipment and manpower for the job.
"You give me $100,000 every day, and I'll be glad to give you $14,000," Williamson said.
Since the funds have never before been available to Bogue Chitto or any other potential hamlet in the state, Moak said simply being able to apply for the grant is a success.
Since Bogue Chitto is the first and only Municipal Historical Hamlet in Mississippi so far, Moak is hoping the community will have a good chance at being awarded the grant, even though state agencies' grant funding levels are low this year.
"It can put Bogue Chitto in competition with some other small communities, and we've never had that opportunity before," Moak said.
Moak hopes his new program can continue to be utilized in the future for other projects around Bogue Chitto, like sidewalks, sewers and other infrastructure needs, which he said the community needs badly. He said the planned erosion control project was the first step and necessary before other projects can be considered.
Though it is unclear whether the grant will be awarded to Bogue Chitto, Moak said this first application would likely be the easiest. He said one reason the community is the state's only hamlet so far is because word about his bill has been slow to spread.
"I'm guessing that next year we're going to have more competition because more folks are going to know about it, and more are going to jump in," Moak said. "We're flying under the radar. You get the money, they take notice."
