Columbus City Council on Tuesday night unanimously agreed to support a community effort to snag as much as $20 million in Environmental Protection Agency grant money.
The Memphis Town Community Action Group is spearheading the effort to land the Community Change Grant but is asking local and state officials to back its effort, which CAG Executive Director Darren Leach pitched at a November work session.
Tuesday night, those efforts bore fruit, but not without some at-times-heated debate.
Leach told the council the grant was focused on development and “climate resilience” in underprivileged areas throughout the city. A draft plan calls for about $12 million to be spent throughout the city, and about $8 million in the area of the old Kerr-McGee plant on 14th Avenue North, including possibly building a storm shelter.
Those numbers are not “set in stone,” Leach said.
The old Kerr-McGee plant site, which straddles both sides of 14th Avenue North, was declared a Superfund site in 2015 due to creosote contamination in the ground. For much of the 20th century the plant pressure-treated wood products with preservatives, including creosote.
With no discussion, Ward 6 Councilwoman Jacqueline DiCicco moved to write a letter of support for the grant, with a second by Ward 3 Councilman Rusty Greene.
However, the idea of building on the Superfund site didn’t sit well with two members of the council. Vice Mayor and Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens made a substitute motion, seconded by Ward 1 Councilwoman Ethel Stewart, to take the request under advisement.
Mickens told Leach point-blank he thought the people of Columbus should be the ones to decide if any construction takes place there.
“Before I support something like that, I would have to take it to a referendum and let the people say whether they want it or not,” Mickens said. “The people living over there, do they want this in their community?”
Leach explained that nothing is “set in stone,” and before the grant application was submitted organizers would work with community stakeholders to see what they want.
“Typically what happens is big money gets brought in and goes to the nicer areas,” Leach said. “The people who normally don’t get help still don’t get it because the money doesn’t make it there. We’re making sure the money actually makes it into the places that need it the most.”
Stewart said the only issue she had heard about “for months” was putting something on the Superfund site.
“I am not inclined to want to see anything built on that site,” Stewart said. “People have lost their lives. People are still sick. Maybe I’m slow, but this is my first time hearing this money could be used in other areas in the community.”
“I sent you the budget narrative, and that has everything on it,” Leach said. “One line is for the Superfund site. There’s about 25 lines on the budget narrative that don’t have anything to do with it. If you don’t want to do anything on the Superfund site, just strike it off. Don’t kill the whole project, just kill that part.”
Mickens asked Leach how the grant would help draw businesses and jobs.
“This is one of the few times where the community can have someone at the table overseeing the process,” Leach said. “There are no dictates. We just have to decide what … we want, lay it out and then follow it. It’s a really, really good grant.”
Mickens withdrew his substitute motion, and DiCicco’s original motion passed unanimously.
There is no match required, Leach said. The deadline for the first round of funding is this week, and the grant application will not be ready in time for that.
The next round of applications is due April 23, Leach said, and he hopes to hit that window.
Mayor Keith Gaskin, speaking at his Wednesday press conference, said he thought the council’s decision to support the grant was monumental.
“I believe the council made one of the most consequential votes that has happened in this city, maybe ever,” Gaskin said. “We have said we would like to see a city free from economic or racial disparities, that is clean, safe and free from environmental justice issues.”
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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