VIDALIA, La. – Vidalia has taken another step toward making its planned infrastructure projects a reality. On Tuesday, aldermen voted to hire Jordan, Kaiser & Sessions of Natchez as engineers for the town’s water plant project.

Updates to the 30-year-old plant would include installing new filters to take more iron, magnesium and lime out of the water, making it softer.

&uot;Advertising for bids for that project should be approved by the board in September or October,&uot; said Mayor Hyram Copeland, who said water plant updates should cost $600,000.

With $450,000 a year from a 1-cent sales tax voters passed last month and $150,000 a year from its own funds, Vidalia plans to pay back $6 million in bonds to be used for the water plant project, repaving streets and improving drainage.

Those bonds should be issued in September, Copeland said.

Bryant Hammett of Ferriday will be the engineer for the street and drainage projects. The board should approve advertising for bids for those projects in September. All projects to be funded by the bonds should be completed by October 2001.

Also in the September meeting, aldermen are expected to vote for advertising for bids for a riverwalk, lighting, roads and some sewage and utility infrastructure for the proposed Vidalia Landing development.

In Tuesday’s meeting, the board also approved several appointments for the 1999-2000 fiscal year, including Bill Murray as mayor pro-tem, Jack McLemore as city attorney, Vicki Byrnes as city clerk and tax collector and Fay Garretson as assistant city clerk.

City department heads approved by the board included Guy Thompson, director of utilities; Huey Richmond, street supervisor; and Fire Chief Jack Langston.

Aldermen appointed to departments were Ricky Knapp, utilities; Vernon Stevens, streets; Maureen Saunders, police; Bill Murray, fire; and Carter Warner, office.

Occupational licenses were approved for Lewis Discount Grocery, due to an address change, and Verdel Forestry Service Inc. Occupational licenses and sign applications were approved for C&M Auto Detail, LLC, and Positive Choices Counseling Services Inc.