Delta Democrat Times reports:A request for funding to replace a heating and air conditioning unit in a building owned by the city sparked debate about where the money will come from at Tuesday's City Council meeting.
Brad Jones, public works director, asked for $3,800 for a HVAC replacement for Brent Neighborhood Facility. The money had not been budgeted, Jones said.“Take it out of the travel/advertising budget,” said Councilman Kenny Gines.
However, Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson urged the council not to deplete that portion of the budget.“Please do not sacrifice your entire (travel/training) budget,” she said, adding that she would be asking council members to accompany her on some trips as the city pursues federal funding for numerous projects.
Councilwoman Ann Hollowell asked if the city had reduced the rent for the daycare in exchange for the renter's making some repairs themselves. Councilman Carl McGee said no, saying it was still the city's responsibility to take care of the building.
“We're going to find this money,” Hudson said.
Councilman Errick Simmons made a motion to approve the request for funding, which Jones and Hudson said they will find. McGee seconded the motion, which passed.
The question of funding for a travel/training request for $245.09 that was turned down last month by the council came up again, but this time Hudson was present to explain the request. She said her trip to the Mississippi Delta Grassroots Caucus in Little Rock, hosted by the Delta Regional Authority Thursday and Friday, is not merely a speaking engagement, but an opportunity to lobby for funds for the port city.
“The city of Greenville requested to make a presentation to this organization about a lot of our infrastructure projects, but also transportation,” Hudson said. “This is the organization that has given us the most recent funding for the Washington Avenue project, the second half of that project.”
However, she said she was not going to ask for travel expenses again for the trip. She said a third party has agreed to pay for it. The council turned down the request at the Jan. 20 meeting because some members said they did not believe the city should pay expenses for the mayor's speaking engagements. Hudson was in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration during that meeting.
"Save the travel budget!" is the latest cry from our globe trotting mayor. This was our mayor's response to a recent request to replace an HVAC system at a city owned child care facility.
Hudson promised to "find" the money elsewhere rather than deplete our (her) travel and training budget. In the same meeting, the council voted not to reimburse the mayor for a recent two day trip to Little Rock which she claimed was an opportunity to lobby for funds for the port city. The mayor stated that she had found a "third party" to pay for the trip.
As for Hudson's Washington DC trip, just how much "work" do you think actually occurred on the days before and after Obama's inauguration? With the entire country's economy headed toward a depression, I doubt that the Mississippi Delta's woes were on anyone's short list.
Everyone needs to take advantage of Mayor Hudson's "open mic" Wednesdays. Ask questions and demand answers to our city's plight. You had better hurry though... I hear Paris in spring is quite beautiful!
Forthright
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12 comments:
Question: How much rent does the Brent Day Care Pay? Anyone?
This city is broke and for me to watch a council meeting and see the giggling etc just seems so unprofessional to me.
I am telling you if we cannot get some different leaders in this community to take control this city will remain the Govt check city of the south.
Our council is more concerned about chasing FREE money than it is to go out and recruit industry and jobs
I will agree that any industry will have to see some major changes before they will come and unfortunately i think the beginning of that will only come with different people controling our City Govt.
We have a Mayor with no business expierience ;but a law degree that she is not smart enough to use and a council that for the majority is suplementing their income because they could not handle their own business.
Oh it is so sad but what is worse is that Greenville elected them.
Lets try putting qualified successful business leaders back in control instead of just voting for someone because of their race. Now if you are satisfied with the streets,no jobs, a deterioating city, layoffs, then just sit at home and draw that Govt check and show your kids all the tricks so they can grow up just like you.
Gville was built by men and women who wanted MORE and beleive it or not it benefits all races.
It's a little windy in here!
'Bout time the Council realized the Mayor has been double dipping and stop that misappropriation of funds! Pretty good racket, she goes for appearances and speaking engagements, charges for her appearance and then charges the city to pay for her expenses to get there, stay and back home...slick Mayor, real slick!
Good luck on open mic day...you will be lonely waiting for her to show up...cause it may be on the same day she needs to go somewhere, anywhere, everywhere!LOL
According to the news, the water dept. has not sent out bills for January or February due to computer issues with a new system. I called for mine last month and was told the same. Apparently, it will be March before the bills are sent, meanwhile the bills are accruing. Now, how will this be handled by the City? Will these 2/3 months be prorated or will they expect full payment when they finally get around to billing?? Most will be able to pay the full past due amounts, but what happens to those who are not going to be able to come up with it all at once and that money has been spent elsewhere? I am most concerned for the elderly. Most will not realize why their bill did not come, to realize it is not paid yet. When the big bill comes in, they won't have the money to pay it and then are in jepoardy. Hopefully, our Council and Mayor has thought of this and will simply prorate it into the current bill. Time will tell.
The mayor is going to a meeting in New York to seek a grant for those that cannot pay the bill all at one time.
The stimulus plan and change?
OK as I remember G Bush did two stimulus plans and they didnt work.. Obama is wanting change but yet he jumps right in and does the same thing Bush did?? The republicans realize the first two did not work. Now Obama is wanting to make his self look good and throw out 14 BILLION!!!
I believe in the plan but only if it is directed right. The waste of 13 Million to move (yea that is move) the from one office to the next is crazy. All this money will be a loan for our children to have to pay back!!
OK I think we can all say "I told you so"
Here's a tax tip. Remember that stimulus check you got back in the spring of 2008? It was basically $300 per person in your household. You probably thought it was money sent to you from the government to stimulate the economy. Wrong! It was an advance on your 2008 tax refund! When you file your taxes for 2008, whatever amount you recieved in your "stimulus check" is deducted from your refund! My refund was reduced by $600. I would have never cashed the check if I had known that. Yea, I think we all got "stimulated" in 2008!!!
People should realize that they are not getting their water for free for 2 months. They should just keep paying their bill like I have been doing. When the final bill comes in it will be up to date.
Yes, People "should" and most will have it when the time comes. But some won't, the dementia elderly, the mother whose budgeting felt a little relief for lunch money these weeks, the college student who ate a bit better than usual, the unemployed whose funds lasted a little bit longer or paid for that larger than expected winter energy or gas bill.....still...prorating will not hurt anyone and as long as they don't draw out this process much longer...it will be paid back soon...so why not create a mini-stimulus bail out?? LOL
I think Brent Day Care pays a whopping $1.00 per year, Someone correct me if I'm wrong!
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