Multiple projects could be springing up in Eupora

EUPORA, Miss. (WCBI) – Eupora may be a small town, but it has some big goals and are getting some big city help to accomplish them.

It’s all about the hands you shake, at least that’s what Eupora’s Mayor Lamar Dumas said when an old college buddy called him up to the city of Memphis.

“He invited me up. I went up, and we were able to meet some influential people,” Dumas said.

Dumas’s friend was able to take him to Memphis’s city hall, and after a presentation to the mayor’s office – in Dumas’s words – Memphis, in a way, adopted Eupora.

He said, “They’ve shown quite a bit of interest in helping the city of Eupora, and by such they’ve sent three grant writers down.”

This team of grant writers toured the city with Dumas, and they didn’t sugarcoat things.

The city needs some work.

“They looked at our streets and see that they’re very much too narrow,” Dumas said, listing the city’s infrastructure needs.

On the subject of roads, there aren’t any sidewalks that lead to Eupora’s elementary and high schools, but they look to change that, among other things.

Dumas took us to several spots throughout Eupora that will become buildings the city has never had.

“We are trying to get a grant for a boys and girls club,” Dumas said. “Also, we don’t have a real nice place to gather, so we’re trying to do a community center.”

In another spot of town, Dumas plans to build a city park.

The lot is only a couple of basketball courts right now, but beyond that is 13 acres owned by the city.

Residents think these efforts, if successful, could mean a great deal to the city.

“I feel like anything that will improve our town and our community for our youth would be great,” said Eupora resident, Jennifer Harrison. “Maybe even it would have an impact on businesses that might move in here, anything to make Eupora better is a good thing.”

Of course, this is all in the works, but with big city help added to Eupora’s arsenal Dumas is hopeful.

Dumas emphasized, “These people have been writing grants for over 40 years, I think, and they seem very confident that what we asked for they’ll be able to help us get it.”

Dumas says he’ll keep us updated on the developments of these grant applications.

If these writers are as good as he says, we may be back in Eupora to report on some economic development.