Lowndes County supervisors and Columbus city officials will meet at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the lower level of the Trotter Convention Center to discuss the future of the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority.
The meeting will be the first between the city and county to discuss CLRA since supervisors in September took the first step toward leaving the jointly funding organization.
Supervisors agreed earlier this month to ask Mayor Robert Smith if the city wished to hold meetings to discuss the future of the inter-local agreement that governs CLRA. Last week, councilmen unanimously authorized Smith to accept to the county’s request in writing.
The city and county provide the bulk of CLRA’s funding. Supervisors unanimously voted on Sept. 6 to announce Lowndes County’s intent to withdraw from the agreement. However, the county must wait one year before the split can formally occur.
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks, who pushed for the county to send a letter about meeting to the city at the board’s Sept. 15 meeting, said he doesn’t necessarily support the county ultimately ending the inter-local agreement. He said he voted in favor of the intent notice to start a “dialogue.”
“What I’m really interested in is if, since the board of supervisors took the initial steps of wanting to separate, those members who are most adamant about it can outline the reasons why we should leave,” Brooks said. “Let’s see if we can find some common ground. If not, then we proceed from there. I’m not interested in a bunch of finger-pointing.”
Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders said he’s looking forward to hearing what the city has to say in the meeting. Sanders initially pushed for the county to hire the Clinton-based RF Consulting firm for $4,000 in the summer to review CLRA’s operations and structure.
The nine-page report, which the county received in August, did not recommend whether the county should split from the city. However, it did include some steps the county could consider if it did split, such as building a sports complex and partnerships with state agencies like Wildlife and Fisheries.
When the city and county meet on Monday, Sanders said he wants to hear why the city thinks the inter-local agreement should remain in place.
“I don’t know what they’ve got on their minds, but we’re willing to listen to what they have to say,” he said. “Why do they need to continue our relationship? Why do they want to, and what are the reasons why they think we should stay?”
City perspective
Ward 5 Councilman Stephen Jones said he hopes the city and county will find a way to preserve the agreement.
“I very much want the agreement to remain,” Jones said. “I think it’s good for the city and the county. Whatever relationship we have, we should be able to work together because it’s all for the best interests of the people. I think instead of breaking apart, we should be coming together and trying to better what we have now.”
Smith declined to comment Wednesday. City Public Information Officer Joe Dillon said the mayor deferred to the county on the matter because supervisors organized the meeting.
Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin said he wants supervisors to provide detailed descriptions of why they want to withdraw the inter-local agreement. Specifically, he wants to know if the county will continue to assist with CLRA if it withdraws, and what will happen with locations like the Lowndes County Soccer Complex in downtown Columbus.
“I’d like to know what their plans are moving forward other than ‘We’re just leaving,'” Gavin said. “I would like to know what’s going to happen.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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