City seeks funding for Frank Cochran Center

Thomas Howard, The Meridian Star, Miss.
·1 min read

Jul. 5—The Meridian City Council is seeking funding to rebuild the Frank Cochran Center in Highland Park.

In a meeting Tuesday, the council voted to apply for a Capital Improvements Revolving Loan Program (CAP) loan from the state of Mississippi to fund the renovations.

"This is something we've been working on for a long time," Councilman George Thomas said.

CAP loans, which are given through the Mississippi Development Authority, are available for local city and county governments to fund capital improvement projects. The loans are funded through bonds passed by the legislature.

Mayor Jimmie Smith said the city has about $900,000 from insurance collected after the Frank Cochran Center was damaged in a fire in 2019. With the CAP loan, he said, the city hopes to get enough funding to rebuild.

"We're applying for that money to go with the money we already have for the Frank Cochran Center," he said.

The total amount of the CAP loan the city is applying for is $1,250,000.

Smith said the city is also working to prepare an Urban Renewal Plan to issue urban renewal revenue bonds. Some of those bonds, he said, could also be used on the Frank Cochran Center.

Other business

In other business, the city council voted to hold a special election for the Meridian Public School District's school bond on Aug. 9. The $34 million bond would cover upgrades to security and athletic facilities across the district's middle and high school campuses.

Thomas said the election was requested by the school district, and the city was obligated to honor the request.

"The school board requested this be held," he said. "The city is obligated to hold this election when the school board requests it."