Funding for a renovation of the old Natchez Institute building has run into some roadblocks in the Legislature.

The $1 million in bond proceeds was not included in a bond bill passed earlier this week by the Mississippi House of Representatives, but lawmakers said they would try to work the money into another revenue bill soon.

We hope lawmakers will not give up on this project.

The money would help establish a museum in the building &045;&045; which is occupied by the Historic Natchez Foundation &045;&045; and would also help build a climate-controlled document storage facility.

Having a general museum for Natchez history and a place to preserve important documents is essential to a community like ours.

And with the Historic Natchez Foundation working on the project, we know it will be successful.

And Foundation officials are confident they can receive matching funds for the project from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We know that the state is in a tight budget process right now, but other projects &045;&045; including Meridian’s arts center and a B.B. King Museum &045;&045; did receive funding in the bond bill this week.

Lawmakers should try again &045;&045; and again if they have to &045;&045; to get this funding approved. Our entire community would benefit.