After reading Mr. Watson’s comments regarding the Memphis Town Community Action Group (CAG), I was very disappointed with his comments. If Mr. Watson had done some fact checking prior to making such comments he would not have made them. The Kerr McGee site was put on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) priority list in 2011. The Memphis Town CAG was formed in 2013 under the leadership of Reverend Steve Jamison, and me as Co-Chair.
The Memphis Town CAG has been at the forefront of leading the effort in cleaning up the site without any help from our city officials, specifically Supervisor Leroy Brooks, who stated at the onset that he didn’t want any part of it. I asked something to the effect of, “Do you feel that way even though the contaminated site is in your district?” The accomplishments of the Memphis Town CAG are many, with some evident and some not.
Let me say that for the first time since this started, Mayor Keith Gaskin is the ONLY city official who has truly shown any interest. He attends almost every meeting we have and lends his input and support. Darren Leach as our Executive Director has been indispensable in our efforts to push the development further.
Let me also say, that having been a longtime friend of Mr. Watson I am again surprised that he didn’t do some fact checking prior to making such comments. Needless to say, that he has cast his lot with Mr. Brooks whose record as a supervisor has been dismal at best when it comes to serving his constituents, specifically the black voters in the community that he was elected to serve.
Maurice Webber
Chairman, Memphis Town Community Action Group
Columbus
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