Officials looking at plans to rebuild tornado-damaged town

STARKVILLE and SMITHVILLE — Smithville officials are in Starkville today to see recovery ideas developed by Mississippi State University students for the town, which was devastated by a tornado in April.

Professor John Poros says the 27 architecture students worked up 11 plans for a municipal complex — some with one building, some with as many as three.

Each includes mayor’s and town clerk’s offices, fire and police stations, a library and a public assembly room. Smithville’s infrastructure committee and officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency set the requirements at a meeting earlier this year.

Poros says the designs are meant to provide ideas that town officials can use when they meet with architects.