Town to use sales tax collections to pay off loan from state

SUMMIT — The Summit Town Council has agreed to divert more than $7,000 in monthly sales tax revenues to pay off a $1.4-million debt to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, which is bankrolling the town’s new wastewater treatment facility.

Town Clerk Pat Whittington tells the Enterprise-Journal DEQ officials stipulated in their loan agreement with the town that the monthly payment of $7,186 must come from sales taxes.

Summit officials recently learned the DEQ, which recently approved plans for a new sludge-activated sewer plant, will float the town a $2.4-million low-interest loan to be paid back over 20 years. Additionally, DEQ officials agreed to write off $1 million of that loan.

The town also recently got a $600,000 Community Development Block Grant to help pay for the work.