Montgomery County Citizens and Commissioners Discuss CDBG Grant

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Discussion erupted at the Montgomery County Commission work session on Thursday, February 8, as Commissioners and citizens debated the best possible use for a potential Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).

The session began with several residents of Bowtie Circle and Hardeman Lane speaking out in support of the County’s proposed grant application to pave and provide drainage for the two roadways. The residents explained that every time it rains, the dirt roads are unbearable, as they said that the messy roads left many of them stranded at their homes.

Montgomery County Road Department Director Robert Lewis attested to this fact, saying that after a recent rain last month, his crew was unable to scrape the roadway, as picnic tables, grills, and other pieces of property had floated into the road. Lewis also stated that ditches could not be dug alongside the roadways to help with drainage because of an interconnected web of water lines, which were laid many years ago by the City of Mount Vernon.

Angel Gilreath asked the commissioners how this project was selected to be the target for the potential grant, as she had reviewed the county’s comprehensive plan and did not find the issue with the roads listed as a needed improvement, but had discovered that the removal of substandard or abandoned housing within the City of Uvalda was within the plan.

Commission Chairman Leland Adams explained that the CDBG grant could only be used for projects within the unincorporated areas of the county, or for the construction of facilities which the county would benefit from, such as the Montgomery County Government Annex, formerly known as the Montgomery County Adult Literacy Center.

“I believe that while this [plan] says Uvalda we have the same issue out in the unincorporated areas of the county. So, I was just wondering how you selected this project as the one that will help the most people,” Gilreath remarked.

Adams told the citizen that the project had been in mind for several years, and that the grant had been applied for several times, but never received. He emphasized that this project would continue to be on the list for the potential grant until the funding had been received and the paving completed.

Amie Vassey asked the Commissioners if they had contemplated the return on the investment of the paving project, and Commissioner Chad Kenney replied that he had not looked at any monetary return on the investment. “This is quality of life that we are dealing with,” he emphasized.

Vassey replied, “You will never run an efficient county until you are able to look at projects from every angle, including return on investment. It does not always have to be the most important thing, but it must be considered.” She provided examples of other potential projects that the grant could be used for, such as a health facility with an indoor pool or a basketball gym with an indoor track.

Ultimately, commissioners voted to apply for the grant for the paving project during its regular monthly meeting on Monday, February 12, and are awaiting the result of the application.

Also during the work session, Sheriff’s Office renovation project architect Bob Day provided commissioners with an update on the construction, stating that the project is 90% complete. He shared that there are issues with the heating and cooling system, as well as the facility’s locks that will soon be remedied; yet, Day told the commissioners he would continue to withhold the last $50,000 project payment until the contractors completed the labor.

Day also discussed the proposed construction of a new EMS facility in the county, as he advised leadership to review the current plans for the facility and consider making the building smaller to save on cost. He suggested a metal building with a single bay, which would hold two ambulances, rather than the current plans for a facility with a double bay, which would be equipped to hold four ambulances. Commissioners agreed to reflect on the plans and discuss them again at a later meeting.