LIVINGSTON-Livingston Mayor Tom Tartt said Monday the City of Livingston is still in negotiations to find a new occupant for the Wal-Mart building when it is vacated.

Tartt said they have been in talks with the retailer’s home office personnel about possibilities for the building.

“We are working with the real estate branch of Wal-Mart trying to come up with an occupant for the building,” Tartt said. “We are working hard to try to find a tenant who might be suitable for that building to fill some of the void they are going to leave when they move.”

Tartt said because talks are in the early stages they have made little progress. However, he felt as they get closer to the closing date things will begin to fall into place.

“We don’t have any specifics at this time,” Tartt said. “We do not have a proposal for Wal Mart to consider, but hopefully by next week or the beginning of November we will have something for them to consider.”

He added they would like to host a business that can open quickly and make a positive impression on the city.

“We are working very hard to get something in that building the city can wrap its arms around, welcome into our business community and begin generating tax revenue,” Tartt said.

Two weeks ago the city was surprised by news from Wal-Mart corporate headquarters that the store would be closing its doors next two months. The closing is expected to correspond to the opening of the new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Demopolis. Some employees of the Livingston store are expected to be offered employment in the new Demopolis location.