Aldermen voted Tuesday to accept a $5 million loan from the federal government, further solidifying plans to build a new police station and municipal court on the Miss. Highway 25 Bypass.
The agreement to accept the loan was passed six to one, with Alderman at Large Vic Zitta voting against it.
The decision came only minutes after Zitta requested, unsuccessfully, that the city launch a thorough investigation into the petition review process that ultimately killed chances for a referendum on the issue [see related story].
The loan will take the form of bonds bought by the federal government.
The money will be repaid at a low interest rate over a 30-year period.
Mayor Mack Rutledge said the city could only accept the $5 million loan contingent on the fact that it be built at the Miss. Highway 25 Bypass.
Rutledge said that, although the loan will be secured on a 30-year term, the city could pay the money back in as short a time as 10 years.
Zitta said he would gladly vote in favor of the issuance of bonds if Starkville residents voted in favor of the option in a public referendum.