Flaggs announces ‘final recommendations’ for rental rate, trash fee hikes following budget hearing

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. has announced his final recommendations for rate adjustments ahead of the city’s new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Flaggs made the announcement Friday morning, following a Thursday public budget hearing where he and Ward 2 Alderman Alex Monsour defended the decision to raise rental rates for city venues, as well as trash collection fees for residents and businesses.

“All of us have been living the same four years,” Monsour said Thursday. “Y’all have seen things go up, the expenses on everything. So, the same dollar doesn’t pay for the same amount of services and goods anymore. It’s national. It’s everywhere. So, when we adjust the budget, we may have to raise our rates on a pavilion or something like that, but that’s just good business; the way you have to run your city.”

Vicksburg’s City Pavilion is indeed on the list of venues seeing a hike in rental rates, along with the Ardis T. Williams Sr. Auditorium, in fiscal year 2025. Friday’s announcement included “final recommendations” to be voted on by the Board of Mayor and Alderman at its Sept. 10 meeting and includes:

• A raise from $100 to $200 in rental fees for the City Pavilion, not including a $100 deposit and $50-$100 for insurance, which will both remain at the same price. Deposits are refundable if the venue is properly cleaned following an event.
• A raise in rental fees for the Ardis T. Williams Sr. Auditorium, with rates based on the specific event. A list of recommended fees in respect to events includes: school events, $650; government events, $650; fundraisers/benefits/501(c)(3), $650; church events, $650; fundraisers/repasts/memorials, $650; meetings/seminars, $1,000; receptions, $1,000; family reunions, $1,000; birthday parties, $1,000; class reunions, $1,000; social/civic clubs, $1,000; graduations, $1,000; dance/theatrical performances, $1,100; balls/dances, $1,100; circus, $1,200; gospel, $1,200; weddings/receptions, $1,200; trade shows/exhibits, $1,200; wrestling.boxing, $1,500; comedy shows, $1,500; pageants, $1,500; blues shows/concerts, $1,500; other, $1,200.

These fees do not include $200 deposit fees, insurance, nor do they include host liquor liability insurance. Security is a separate fee and paid to the security provider.

• A raise in residential and commercial trash collection from $16.50 per month to $21, a $4.50 increase and covering twice-weekly collection for residents and businesses with one green bin with the city seal. Customers have the option to rent additional brown bins for $27.50. City officials said only the brown, city-sanctioned additional bins will be collected by Waste Management. Commercial trash collection in the city’s downtown district will remain at its current rate of $40.15 per bin, per month, with collection occurring four times per week. Commercial customers located downtown may opt to have up to four bins at the $40.15 rate per bin and can request up to three additional bins at the same rate.