NATCHEZ &045; Funding for the recognition and restoration of historic properties took up much of the Board of Aldermen’s time on Tuesday.

At that meeting, City Attorney Walter Brown reported that the state Board of Archives and History will meet Friday on increasing its grant to acquire land and erect signs at the Forks of the Road former slave market site.

&uot;That’s because one of the appraisals came back more than expected,&uot; Brown said. &uot;But about $10,000 or $12,000 more should do it.&uot;

The Board of Archives in January voted to pay the city $115,000 in grant funds for the project.

Concerned citizens and local governments have pushed for the National Park Service to erect an interpretive center on the property at Liberty Road and St. Catherine Street, the site of a 19th-century slave market.

Recently, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove signed into law Senate Bill 2997, which authorizes the City of Natchez to convey the property to the Park Service after sale documents are complete.

Also in Tuesday’s meeting, aldermen authorized Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith to sign an agreement under which the city will receive $100,000 from the state Department of Archives and History to conduct roof repairs at the Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center.

&uot;With that done, we’ll proceed on with the project as soon as possible,&uot; Brown said. The goal is to get the roof repaired and rainwater and ceiling debris cleared from the building’s floors by the time it is used to house the Natchez Opera Festival, which is set for May.

In November, the portions of the roof above the auditorium and air conditioning units and the old gym were reroofed using almost $91,000. That came from a $75,000 grant the Natchez Opera Festival received from the state Arts Commission and $50,000 in city funds.

The remaining funds, the History and Archives grant and $25,000 in extra city matching funds should be almost enough to finish the rest of the roof and repair exterior masonry, city officials have said.

And the board voted to endorse the National Park Service and Historic Natchez Foundation’s applying for $125,000 in Save America’s Treasures grant funds to help do restoration work at the antebellum house Auburn and restore the old billiards hall.

&uot;We’ve had some serious issues&uot; at the house, which is owned by the city, said Alderman Sue Stedman, who chairs the board’s Public Properties Committee.

That money would have to be matched with an additional $125,000, but the city is hopeful that it can successfully apply for

funds to cover that match, Stedman said