NATCHEZ — Natchez is moving forward with a plan to install LED lighting throughout the city after the Mayor and Board of Aldermen agreed to negotiate a contract for the work with Schneider Electric.

Allie Harris, the sales team leader for Schneider said savings from the efficiencies of  the LEDs would eventually pay for installation.

“The project is a couple years in the making now,” Harris said. “On top of saving energy it’–s also going to save on labor and on material costs. … All in all, the project is going to save you guys about $91,000 a year.”

Harris presented three potential contracts to the board. The first two contracts involve financing the full project cost of $1.53 million over a 20- or 16-year period and include a new roof and HVAC installation at the convention center, which would ultimately cost with interest $2,479,037 or $2,127,724 respectively.

The least costly contract presented is $1.35 million over a 16-year period and covers LED lighting alone, which would amount to $1,833,829 in total cost.

By the end of a 20-year period, Harris said the city would have saved $2,396,573 to cover the project cost as well as receive an energy rebate from Schneider of $100,000 within the first year.

“(To move to LED technology) makes total sense for this city,” said Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell. “That is major money saved for the city.”

The board unanimously agreed to negotiate with Schneider Electric and will determine which option to choose.

In other matters aldermen:

* Unanimously appointed James Johnston, current community development director, as interim city clerk to replace outgoing City Clerk Megan Edmonds who announced her resignation Aug. 1, effective after the city budget is completed.

“I really appreciate you stepping up to the plate to assist the city,” Grennell said to Johnston during Tuesday’s meeting.

* Unanimously approved a request from Walter Tipton, general manager of the Natchez Convention Center, to enter a three-year contract with C Spire to upgrade the internet and phone lines in the center to fiber optic cable that would include 10 new phones and would reduce the monthly phone and internet bill by approximately $100 per month.

Tipton said the contract would cost $898.86 per month.

* Unanimously approved purchase of new shirt badges for the Natchez Police Department from Eagle Pawn in Natchez at a price of $80 per badge — approximately $5,000 total.

* Unanimously agreed to take under advisement bids for a retaining wall on Marin Avenue from Dozer LLC of Natchez at $1,236,000 and from Riverside Construction Company Inc. of Sibley at $907,828

* The board voted unanimously to apply for a capital improvement loan for the purchase of a new aerial ladder truck for the fire department, which is estimated to cost no more than $1 million.