logged into a computer system that transfers the question, request or comment to the appropriate department. At night and on the weekends, calls are forwarded to the city gas department where a 24-hour-a-day phone operator is in place for emergencies.
The computer system is tied into most city departments, and residents may call back to the Action Line to check on the progress of their requests.
“ Info To Go” is an automated system that can also fax forms and applications and take messages to be passed along to city departments.
The Action Line number is 601-801-3411. The“ Info To Go” number is 601-631-2489. A list of all extensions is available on the city’ s website, vicksburg. org.
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Vicksburg Police Department- 601-636-2511 Vicksburg Fire Department- 601-636-1603 Warren County Sheriff’ s Office- 601-636-1761 Warren County Fire Services- 601-631-8806 Warren County Emergency Management Department- 601-636-1544
CITY GARBAGE PICKUP
Garbage collection guidelines are directed by the City’ s contract and are subject to change. Garbage and trash pickup is provided two times per week for residences located in the entire City limits and small commercial businesses not located in downtown Vicksburg. Garbage and trash pickup is provided four times per week for downtown small commercial businesses. The City is split into two collection routes which occur on Mondays / Thursdays and Tuesdays / Fridays of each week.
All trash must be placed inside of approved garbage containers with the official City of Vicksburg seal affixed on the container.
Trash will not be picked up in any other containers.
Only household garbage items are to be placed in the containers. Heavy trash which includes large limbs, shrubs and bulky items that cannot fit in the container are to be placed at the curb and will be collected weekly. Any requests for special pickups must be made to the Action Line at 601-636-3411. Please contact the Water and Gas Department at 601-636-3414 if your container gets damaged or has a broken lid or tire.
CITY PERMITS
The City of Vicksburg issues permits to make sure buildings are safe for intended use and meet fire, safety and sanitation codes, as well as to regulate the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some of the permits needed: Business privilege license— Community Development Department, 601-634-4528. Building and Zoning— Building and Inspection
Division, 601-634-4528. Beer or liquor— Mississippi State Tax Commission, 601-923-7300. Advice and permission for burning in the city—
Vicksburg Fire Department, 601-636-1603. Roadblocks— Vicksburg Police Department,
601-636-2511. Fire inspection— Vicksburg Fire Department,
601-634-4566. Signs— 601-634-4528.
64 • THE VICKSBURG POST & VICKSBURG-WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Organized as a political subdivision of the state in 1809, Warren County government generally follows the basic structure of other Mississippi counties.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors includes: District 1 Supervisor Edward Herring; District 2 Supervisor William H. Banks Jr.; District 3 Supervisor Shawn Jackson; District 4 Supervisor John Carlisle; and District 5 Supervisor and President Kelle Barfield.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors is made up of five members elected to four-year terms. They appear on ballots during the state-level election cycle. Salaries are set by the Legislature and follow population totals. The base salary of a Warren County supervisor is $ 50,000 a year.
Supervisors make appointments to six positions that serve at the will and pleasure of the board. Those posts are an administrator, a chief engineer, a road department manager, an attorney, a fire coordinator / environmental protection chief and an emergency management director.
The administrator acts mainly as the overseer of the county’ s finances and is instrumental in setting its operating budget. An array of infrastructure duties are handled by the county engineer, including road and bridge improvements, subdivision development plans and coordination with state highway officials on state-funded road projects.
Official meetings of the Board of Supervisors are on the first and third Monday of each month on the third floor of the Warren County Courthouse. Informal sessions where issues are discussed but no formal votes are cast are at 8:30 a. m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month.
Elected officials in 14 areas of county government have their spending approved by supervisors, while personnel decisions within those departments remain with the elected heads. Those offices include the sheriff, chancery clerk, circuit clerk, coroner, district attorney, prosecuting attorney, tax assessor, tax collector, three constables and five election commissioners. This extends to judges in circuit, chancery, justice and county courts, but orders from the bench involving salaries must be approved by supervisors.
Revenue for the county comes from property taxes and from a portion of taxes levied on casinos in Vicksburg.
Services for residential and commercial sanitation, water, gas and electricity are handled by private companies outside Vicksburg. Garbage collection outside Vicksburg is handled by Waste Management, the county’ s contract server.
TAXES Warren County homeowners have several options for viewing tax records or paying taxes.
Homeowners may pay taxes with a credit card or through the Mississippi state website at www. ms1stop. com.
The deadline to file for homestead exemption is April 1. Most residents will get a deduction of $ 300 from their tax bills. All residents are eligible for a homestead exemption if they live in the home.
In Warren County, property owners are taxed by the county and local school district. Properties inside the city limits of Vicksburg pay an additional millage for city services that include fire and police protection.
Tax bills are sent out in December, and payment is due by Feb. 1 at the Warren County Courthouse on Cherry Street or online. Starting Feb. 2, interest is added to the bill until August when properties are sold at auction at the courthouse.
DRIVER’ S LICENSES
To obtain a driver’ s license in Warren County, applicants should go to the Department of Public Safety Driver Services Bureau at 1100 Grove St. Applicants must be at least 15 1 / 2 years old.
The examining location in Vicksburg is open Monday through Friday from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. For information, call 601-638-5441.
To make an appointment visit www. ms. gov / dps / license. renewal.
LICENSE PLATES
Warren County license plates are sold in the Tax Collector’ s Office at the Warren County Courthouse, 1009 Cherry St.
Residents moving from another state have 30 days to buy a tag.
If the vehicle is paid for, owners should provide the original title and registration papers from the state where they previously lived and the vehicle’ s mileage without tenths.
If the vehicle is not paid for, residents should provide duplicate title and registration papers. If the owner has no duplicate title, he or she should provide the name and address of the lienholder where payments are sent and the vehicle’ s mileage without tenths.
Residents moving to Warren County from another county in Mississippi can wait until the current tag expires and submit the actual tag and registration papers.
To renew a Warren County tag with no change of address, residents may visit www. ms1stop. com, go to the Tax Collector’ s office or send notices received by mail to P. O. Box 351, Vicksburg, MS 39181. For information, call 601-638-6181.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
The Warren County Health Department, 807 Monroe St., provides immunizations and maternity and health education.
Children’ s services include immunizations, wellchild assessments, fluoride mouth rinses, genetic screening and early intervention services for infants and toddlers.
Family planning and reproductive health education and screening are provided at the health center as well as education on worksite health issues, tobacco prevention and reduction of mortality and morbidity resulting from cardiovascular disease.
The WIC program for women, infants and children is also available at the center. Through nutritional counseling and food supplements, the program aims to improve a baby’ s health during pregnancy, infancy and early childhood.
The health center is open 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 601- 636-4356.