The city council on Tuesday unanimously chose Robert G. Cooper to serve on the Columbus Redevelopment Authority Board.
Cooper owns RGC Realty, where he manages short-term rental property. He also founded LubbuL LLC, a platform in development meant to support small business visibility and community identity, according to the board application he submitted to the city.
He is the former owner and operator of Bob’s Paint and Auto Body.
On the CRA board, Cooper will replace Jason Spears, who resigned June 27 before taking office as Ward 6 councilman. Spears was amid a five-year term on the board set to expire in September 2027.
Cooper told The Dispatch he wants to focus on growing the city and encouraging local developers to invest in Columbus.
“I grew up in Columbus. It is the place I call home,” Cooper wrote in his application. “Over the years, my perspective on Mississippi and Columbus has evolved through different seasons of life. Each one has shaped my viewpoint and helped me see more clearly what makes this town both unique and deeply valuable. I have come to appreciate not just its history and charm, but also its untapped potential.”
The council chose Cooper over three other applicants: WCBI anchor Marcus Hunter, engineer Joseph Paige and downtown businessman Bill Strauss.
Established in 2014, the Columbus Redevelopment Authority oversees projects in the city’s Urban Redevelopment District, which includes Burns Bottom near the Roger Short Soccer Complex. In 2017, it facilitated the sale of the old Lee High School on Military Road, which developed into the Lyceum at Lee and Lofts at Lee.
In other business, the council:
■ appointed David Armstrong, the city’s former chief operations officer, to the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau board;
■ approved moving forward with purchasing a lot at 322 22nd St. N. from Lawrence Wilson for $2,960 as the first acquisition of the city’s $6 million Blight Elimination Program;
■ officially applied for a $500,000 Mississippi Arts Commission grant to help with Terry Brown Amphitheater construction and committed the $333,333 match from the city’s capital fund upon grant approval; and
■ tabled discussion of a $2,000 per month contract for a public information officer.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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