One decision the Wesson Board of Aldermen made this week will make a big splash.

The board will buy equipment for a splash pad and then have city employees install it at the city park.

The board approved Raindeck to supply the materials.

Alderman Ward 1 Mike Douglas and Alderman Ward 4 Mike King were absent from the Tuesday board meeting.

The city had expected to  receive $50,000 from the state, but that didn’t materialize, Mayor Alton Shaw said.

So instead, the city will take the cheaper route and do the work themselves after purchasing the splash pad parts for $12,000.

Discussions to add a splash pad began in February last year after the park was built.

The project was delayed until the city found the right suppliers to complete the project.

Raindeck proved to be the best option to supply the materials. “They have been installing worldwide,” Shaw said. “They also had us a quote within three hours and can have it delivered by next week.”

They have several different options of splash pads to choose from, depending on the city’s budget. “If we come into some money, we can start adding to it, so it’s not like we’re stuck with the base model,” Shaw said.

It’s up to the board to decide when to start the work.

They may wait until until after Founder’s Day weekend since all the activities will be in the park April 28-29.

“The majority of the extensive process is laying out the pipe and fitting the pipe together,” Shaw said. “You have a whole lot of pipe going under a 1,000-square-foot area.”

Aldermen must also decide where to place the splash pad. The original plan was to install it by the railroad tracks, but they could choose to place it in the flat, vacant area where a children’s bounce house is located during events.

In other business, the board approved:

• Troy Floyd with the Wesson Police Department changing employment from full-time to part-time and Tim Stevens, also from WPD, moving from part-time to full-time.

• WPD trading in two older police cars for a new car that will cost about $2,000 less on a state contract.

• Two older model vehicles be given to WPD at no cost from Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department.

• Van Graham’s request to close Long Street, Fifth Street and Sixth Street. The street run into his parents’ property and no one travels that road.

• The minutes from the regular meeting of Jan. 3 were approved.

Aldermen also received an invitation from Chuck Busby, director of radiology at Copiah County Medical Center, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 14 from 3-6 p.m. The hospital is located at 27130 Hwy. 28 in Hazlehurst.