A debt owed
The death of Randolph Lipscomb over the past weekend means he will not be around on Aug. 1, 2019. On that date, he ought to have been thanked by everyone in Lowndes County, because that is when the Columbus 16th-Section leases will be renewed, not terminated, thanks to Randolph’s dogged, tireless and generally lonely crusade to have the leases confirmed in the U.S. District Court.
They were confirmed Dec. 11, 2002 — after a crusade that started in 1988. That’s when Columbus attorney Hunter Gholson deduced from the actions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development the disaster for the homes, churches and businesses in the 16th-Section center of town if renewability of the leases on Aug. 1, 2019, was questioned or not permitted. (Who would invest in the 16th Section, the center of the city, if the life and future terms of the lease were unknown?)
Hunter sounded the first alarm. Randolph carried on the fight for the next 14 years. He turned his indignation at this constitutional menace to his hometown into the tireless fight: The 1920 lease documents said the 99-year leases were “renewable forever,” and Randolph, a “Don’t Tread On Me” American, was determined that that agreement would be upheld.
Agreeing with that view, U.S. District Judge Glen Davidson signed the Final Judgment on that December day in Aberdeen. “The 1920 leases,” he wrote, “are renewable leases and may be renewed on August 1, 2019,” adding that “renewable forever” in the Columbus 16th-section leases means all covenants are renewable forever. It then took until February 2005 before any attorneys’ fees were awarded by the court and the long crusade ended.
I was in the courtroom in 2005 and saw Randolph permit himself his characteristic full smile. That was his celebration.
All our citizens owe Randolph their appreciation for this service, as well as others, to our city.
George Hazard
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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