MERIDIAN —     Dirt work on Meridian's newest fire station is under way and officials predict Station No. 9 will be open by the middle of February.

    "We are on schedule and we're within budget,"  Bob Luke of LPK Architects told the Meridian City Council on Tuesday. "With the city and county working together, we're seeing great cooperation.The site preparation is under way."

    The station will be located at 246 Briarwood West in the newly annexed northeast part of the city.

    "This is going to be a very classical building. It's going to look like it belongs," Luke said. "It's something you can be very proud of."

    According to Fire Chief Anthony Clayton, the station will house three firefighters; a captain, driver and firefighter, but will be built to house up to six personnel.

    It will have two engine bays.

    "It has a good design," Clayton said.

    Clayton said he hopes construction costs will stay in the $600,000 range.

    "But, we don't have a complete price tag on the station yet because we're not finished with all the preliminary drawings," he said. "They're still working on the heating, air conditioning, ventilation, electrical."

    One new piece of equipment is already in for the new station. The city just received a custom pumper truck at a cost of $625,125.

    "This fire station will be covered with this engine, but it is also covered by two other stations, No.7 and No. 8, so when we respond to the new annexed area, you'll have a new engine company in the area plus you'll have secondary engines coming to assist," Clayton said. "You'll have engine No. 9, engine No. 7 and engine No. 8, Rescue One and the Battalion Chief car, which is our command vehicle."

    Also on Tuesday, the City Council authorized the sale of timber near Lakeview Golf Course bordering Highway 45. The Mississippi Forestry Commission recommended that timber at the site be thinned so the remaining timber can grow.

    Several city streets will be resurfaced as a result of state funds coming to the city.

    Monty Jackson, public works director, said the city will pay 20 percent of the $1.2 million project, which is being funded by Service Transportation Funds. The city also paid for the engineering fees, he said.

    "It should be getting under way toward the end of July," Jackson said.

    Streets to be repaved are: Seventh Street between 26th Avenue and  39th Avenue; Eighth Street between 24th Avenue and 26th Avenue; 14th Street between 22nd Avenue and 25th Avenue; 29th Avenue between First Street and Eighth Street; 29th Avenue from 40th Street to North Hills Street; Country Club Drive between North Hills Street and Grandview Avenue; and Grandview Avenue between 43rd Avenue and Country Club Drive.

    Mayor Cheri Barry announced plans for the upcoming Reconciliation Week in Meridian. The celebration will be July 8-14 with the theme, "Building Community through Reconciliation."

    On July 8, there will be a reconciliation service at 3 p.m. at 31st Street Baptist Church and on July 9 there will be free lemonade and music from 9 a.m until noon at Dumont Plaza.

    The Rev. Charles J. Miller Memorial Luncheon will be held July 12 at 11:45 a.m. at Union Station with Mission Mississippi founding board member Dan Hall as the guest speaker. Tickets are $15 and those planning to attend should respond to Stacey Miller by July 6 by calling (601) 482-2489.

    On July 13 at 1 p.m. there will be a memorial ride by the Oxford Night Owls Motorcycle Club. On July 14, there will be a Day of Dialogue sponsored by Mission Mississippi from 8:30 a.m. until noon at Union Station.