COPIED BY AUSTIN LEEDOM, SATURDAY, MARCH 2008 FROM MANSFIELD NEWS JOURNAL ---

Federal probe intensifies bickering over Mansfield block grants
By LINDA MARTZ
News Journal

MANSFIELD -- Pressure from a federal investigation intensified the acrimony during City Council's Thursday meeting on community development block grants.

Community Development Director Cindy Baker said complaints by a 6th ward resident spurred the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to monitor Mansfield's 2008 spending decisions.
   
Sandra and Melvin Reed, of 209 E. Second St., first complained to HUD in 2006 that council was spending too little on the needs of low-income residents and too much on projects sought by nonprofit groups.

"She was furious with the City of Mansfield because she felt we have been ignoring the little people of Mansfield, and giving to corporate America," Baker said.
The Reeds were about 250th on the waiting list of residents seeking money toward home repairs. Sandra Reed told HUD in an October letter she and her husband were elderly, disabled and low-income. She said they were told to expect at least a two-year wait for help.

The couple objected to council putting money into projects like the new MedCentral College of Nursing building, airport improvements, downtown business facade beautification and the industrial park. Baker said past allocations are not endangered.

About 400 people are on the waiting list for home repairs, she said.

"These new guidelines probably throw out 90 percent of what we've done for the past 10 years," At-Large Councilman Doug Versaw said. Some nonprofit proposals "don't even come close to being qualified if you read these new rules."

The city will receive $960,885 in 2008 federal block grants and has $2.58 million in requests.

Some members of council's public affairs committee continued to fight for nonprofit groups, despite Baker's opinion that certain projects, including requests for money toward a new MedCentral College of Nursing building and an elevator for the handicapped at the Renaissance Theatre, wouldn't qualify.

Baker said there was no way the Renaissance could track the income of people who attend its performances to prove enough low-income people were being served. Baker also said HUD rules would prohibit giving money to the MedCentral College of Nursing, unless in loan form.

"New construction does not qualify," she said repeatedly.

But 3rd Ward Councilman Scott Hazen said he contacted HUD and was told both of those projects could be funded under federal rules. He asked Baker to provide a ruling from HUD, specific to those issues, before council meets for a final vote on the allocations package April 1.

Renaissance Theatre officials said they would withdraw their request for a second year of funding toward an elevator. They said the funding council allocated last year hasn't been spent yet.

Council discussed whether to give the Richland County Transit Board $100,000 to keep operations going at the current level. Mayor Don Culliver told council he believes city projects should be given first priority.

"I would caution all of us that this is a tightening up period. To try to meet somebody else's budget when we cannot meet our own is fiscally irresponsible," Culliver said.

Debate over nonprofit projects produced some acrimonious exchanges.

"It seems like there's some biased opinions coming from you two MedCentral (hospital) workers," Public Af fairs Chairman Butch Jefferson told Republicans Scott Hazen and Mike Hill.

Hill retorted, "I'm looking out for low-income students."

Jefferson stood up once during an exchange, and at another point went to the council president's desk to pound a gavel.

Culliver asked council members to be more polite.

"As we go through this process, I would hope that we respect each other's opinion, and treat each other like ladies and gentlemen. I wish everybody wouldn't be so argumentative here," he said.


lmartz@nncogannett.com 419-521-7229