Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ—The City of Natchez Mayor and Board of Aldermen had planned to resurface several city streets this year, but they have found no one to do the work.

The city completed an ambitious repaving program this spring in which more than 50 Natchez streets were repaved.

For streets that did not make it into the repaving project, city officials wanted to microseal them. Microsealing, also known as micro-surfacing, is the process of applying an asphalt emulsion mixed with crushed rock and other chemicals to the existing surface of streets to smooth and make them more drivable.

Community Development Director James Johnston told aldermen on Tuesday that the city received no bids by its Monday, June 10, deadline. He said he anticipated receiving at least one bid based on interest at a pre-bid conference. However, he said the two contractors in the state who perform the micro-surfacing work are completely booked this calendar year.

“We had anticipated the work beginning in several weeks and ending this calendar year,” Johnston said.

“We were planning to use our infrastructure money from the legislature to do this work. Other cities received the same monies and most likely had similar ideas,” Johnston said.

Mayor Dan Gibson was disappointed to hear that no bidders had been selected and recommended that the project not be re-bid at this time.

“Let us take time to regroup and look at our options and take action perhaps at a later meeting,” Gibson said.