The installation of new lights on Highways 49 and 13 is now complete. Mayor Todd Booth said, “It looks nice. It does a lot to improve the look of our town from the highway.” Booth said he has heard positive feedback from several citizens around town. The project began nearly two years ago and the goal was to make the exit to Mendenhall appear more inviting.
Booth explained that he has given Entergy clearance to move forward with installing more lights along Highway 49 and East Street in hopes of having the same affect. She said, “It took us 2 and a half years to complete the last project, but I don’t anticipate this one to take as long.” He revealed that the engineering work is complete and that the plans will be underway in the near future. Lights will also be added to the playground and pavilion area of the Mendenhall Sportsplex.
Entergy has been a big help to the city of Mendenhall. The city recently received an incentive from an Entergy program that will upgrade the lighting in several facilities around the city and save money. Booth explained that he met with Angelica Rawls from Entergy who conducted an audit on the lighting at the Library, Civic Center, and Police Department. Entergy’s program allows the City to update the lighting in these facilities to LED lights which will be more cost efficient on an annual basis. The switch to LED lights will save wattage. The estimated annual savings after switching these facilities to LED lights was over $4,000. The Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to move forward with the program on October 4 at a special called meeting. Booth also thanked the Mendenhall Chamber of Commerce for their donation of $1,000 towards the Library portion of the lighting project.
Booth mentioned that the frontage road project is still progressing slowly. His plan was to use money from the newly established use tax to speed the project along. Booth explained that the use tax funds would not be available until 2020 and would not be dispersed in a lump sum. He said, “But we are still working on it and making as much progress as we can.”
Booth said, “The town has come a long way and we have a lot of people who have worked to make that happen.”
