In accordance with Republican Conference rules and adherence to all transparency and accountability criteria, below is a list of Community Project Funding requests from the Office of Congressman Trent Kelly to be considered in the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Legislation. Certification forms are included below, and the requirements for certification by Members can be found here.
Project are listed in alphabetical order.
Project Name: Center for Growth, New Markets, Innovation, and Cyber Awareness
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: University of Mississippi
Recipient Address: 100 Barr Hall, University, MS 38677
Request Explanation: Led by the University of Mississippi, the Mississippi Small Business Development Center (MS-SBDC) is launching the Center for Growth, New Markets, Innovation, and Cyber Awareness, which will connect resources to assist Mississippi small businesses and create an innovative approach to entrepreneurial economic development. The Center will utilize virtual sites and MS-SBDC centers across the state to provide technology commercialization, business growth strategies, market and financial analysis, international trade, and cybersecurity and resiliency preparation for Mississippi businesses. Working with Mississippi State University, the Center will also pilot a Hub to support the objectives of the Mississippi Cyber Initiative for training, education, and workforce development. The Hub for Cyber Awareness will be a museum-like, self-directed experience and open to the public. The Hub will include virtual reality, interactive displays, and education activities. The experience will inform participants about the fundamental safety recommendations for protecting cell phones, personal computers, home video equipment, and the growing number of connected devices used in our homes and businesses. The Hub will offer guest speakers and more advanced training opportunities for small business on topics such as responding to a ransomware attack or meeting federal and industrial contract requirements for cybersecurity. Most importantly, this initiative will provide a successful model to help Mississippi small businesses be proactive in addressing cybersecurity issues. The Center is designed to provide maximum assistance to strengthen the small business ecosystem within the state of Mississippi, particularly for the following types of businesses/underserved populations: women-owned, rural-based, and socially and economically disadvantaged small firms that traditionally have not accessed resources.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Concourse Workforce Training Center
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Intended Recipient: Panola County
Recipient Address: 151 Public Square, Batesville, MS 38806
Request Explanation: Complete a multi-phase project to make an existing facility suitable to provide industry-driven workforce training programs, including to the growing electric vehicle sector. Northwest MS Community College will provide training programs in high-demand skills and track outcomes such as enrollment figures, certificates granted, and job placement. Earlier phases of this project have been completed and are producing measurable outcomes for local workforce and industry. Workforce training programs provided at the Concourse are vital to providing job opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Eupora Police In-Car Video/Body Camera/License Plate Reader
Requested Amount: $124,973.00
Intended Recipient: City of Eupora
Recipient Address: 390 N. Clark Avenue, Eupora, MS 39744
Request Explanation: The project is to equip the City of Eupora Police Fleet Vehicles with electronic technology consisting of in-car video with audio system linked with body cameras, and license plate readers. Presently the entire fleet consisting of seven (7) police vehicles have no video camera systems or license plate reader equipment installed.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Eupora Police Technology Modernization
Requested Amount: $127,658.81
Intended Recipient: City of Eupora
Recipient Address: 390 N. Clark Avenue, Eupora, MS 39744
Request Explanation: The project is to move the City of Eupora Police Department from presently using pen and paper to E-Force Software using an electronic device (IPAD) in completing citations, crime reporting and court case management. The E-Force Software provides for electronic record management which collects data for inputting into National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Lafayette County Emergency Operations Center
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: Lafayette County Emergency Management Agency
Recipient Address: 72 FD Buddy East Pkwy, Oxford, MS 38655
Request Explanation: The project would consist of the construction of an Emergency Operations Center on County property. This location would serve as the coordination point for information and resource support for incidents occurring within the jurisdiction of Lafayette County and its three municipalities. This facility would provide a hardened structure, capable of withstanding natural and man-made hazards, with space for emergency coordination and operations as well as ample storage for all essential resources required for Emergency Response and Recovery. This Emergency Operations Center would benefit the citizens of Lafayette County by allowing for better coordination among response agencies and local officials, enhancing the county’s response capabilities, and strengthening the overall resiliency of Lafayette County, therefore providing a safer community.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Mississippi Writing Project Leaders in Literacy Initiative
Requested Amount: $1,291,000
Intended Recipient: The University of Mississippi
Recipient Address: 100 Barr Hall, University, MS 38677
Request Explanation: The Mississippi Project Network’s leaders in Literacy Initiative is a program designed to support teacher growth, teacher retention, and student achievement. Effective literacy skills are essential to support student success in all grades and all subject areas. To meet students’ complex literacy needs, this initiative will provide intensive, collaborative, and ongoing professional learning designed to increase teacher practice so teachers can grow students’ reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: New Fire Station
Requested Amount: $1,500,000
Intended Recipient: City of Pontotoc
Recipient Address: 116 North Main Street, Pontotoc, MS 38863
Request Explanation: The City of Pontotoc has two stations strategically located to serve our community with both full and volunteer staff. The City of Pontotoc serve approximately 6,400 residents inside the municipal limits of Pontotoc City, and The City of Pontotoc also has a Pontotoc County response district that extends approximately a 5-mile radius outside the Municipal limits. This county district has around 7,000 residents who are solely our responsibility. Additionally, The City of Pontotoc are the primary rescue services for entire Pontotoc County. The downtown fire station (Station 1) is the base of all the above mentioned services provided. The City of Pontotoc currently share a building with City Hall and are directly across the street from Pontotoc High School and adjacent to Pontotoc Jr High campuses. Furthermore, the primary school athletic facilities for the school district is located behind the FD. As an additional complication, The City of Pontotoc has a crosswalk for Main Street (MS HWY 9) within 8 feet of our engine bays that has a constant flow of teacher and student foot traffic traveling between campuses during and after the school day. For the above mentioned reasons, this is why the City of Pontotoc needs a new fire station.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Rust College E. A. Smith Honors Program
Requested Amount: $500,000
Intended Recipient: Rust College E.A. Smith Honors Program
Recipient Address: 150 Rust Avenue, Holly Springs, MS 38635
Request Explanation: Rust College requests funds to enhance leadership development programming within the E.A. Smith Honors Program (website: www.rustcollege.edu/honors-program/). Named after Rust’s 9th President, Dr. Ernest Andrew Smith, the program incorporates research, scholarship, leadership development and enrichment opportunities to prepare students to fill key roles in various disciplines including business, education, healthcare, social work, and civic leadership. Honors Program goals include: 1. Provide a learning community that prepares students for study in graduate and professional schools, careers, and lifelong learning, leadership, and intellectual growth 2. Expand students’ horizons beyond the classroom by promoting undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, community service, and work-based learning 3. Create an interactive learning community that cultivates knowledge, skills, critical thinking and analysis, and confidence in data-driven decision-making and real-world performance.
Additional Letters of Support
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Sand Creek Wastewater Project Expansion
Requested Amount: $9,000,000
Intended Recipient: Sand Creek Wastewater Authority
Recipient Address: 179 Fellowship Road, Saltillo, MS 38866
Request Explanation: Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion located near Saltillo, Guntown, and Baldwyn, Mississippi; addition of treatment capacity up to 3 million gallons per day and construction of a main sewer transmission line to connect the City of Baldwyn.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Webster County Operations Center
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Intended Recipient: Webster County
Recipient Address: 6333 MS Hwy 9, Walthall, MS 38771
Request Explanation: Webster County Operations Center will include the Webster County Justice Court with Judges, Webster County Board of Supervisors, Webster County Office of Emergency Management, Webster County Sheriff Office, Mississippi Forestry Commission, Webster County School Superintendent, Webster County 911 and other agency partners as needed. This combined Team will be able to effectively coordinate communications, operations, and logistics to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all 9,689 residents with a median Webster County household income of $28,834 on 423 square miles of Webster County Mississippi in responding to daily operations or to any natural and or man-make disaster all under one roof. The Webster County Operations Center will be located adjacent to the Webster County Courthouse on Webster County owned property in the Village of Walthall Mississippi which is the County Seat. An essential element of the Center will be holding cells to accommodate up to thirty people to include those with drug dependences and mental illnesses which currently cannot be achieved, these cells will be utilized by the Webster County Sheriff Department, the Eupora Police Department, the Mathiston Police Department, the Maben Police Department, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Natchez Trace Park Service, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Park Service and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The current facilities are spread across the entire county and have been condemned in 2009 by a Federal Judge and multiple Grand Jury Inspections.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
Project Name: Yalobusha River Dredging Project
Requested Amount: $8,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Calhoun City
Recipient Address: 102 S. Monroe St., Calhoun City, MS 38916
Request Explanation: This project is for the dredging of the Yalobusha River, west of Calhoun City, MS. The river has been plugged for many years with logs and other debris. It is imperative that something is done to alleviate this problem because it threatens the livelihood, sustainment and growth of Calhoun City, MS and Big Creek MS. Many homes have lost significant investments, to the tune of over $1 million dollars, every time these flooding events happen. They are happening more frequently now. This problem continues to plague our citizens, farmers, public bodies, emergency vehicles and retail outlets within and outside of our corporate city limits. Our local farming areas are losing approximately $2 to $3 million dollars per year because of year-round flooded farmland that cannot be utilized.
Additional Documents
Financial Disclosure Certification
