While the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors negotiates with property owners for Burns Bottom land needed for a proposed soccer complex, city officials will work to find creative ways to help finance a $1.6 million master parks plan presented by the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority.
In a joint meeting of the CLRA board of directors, the supervisors and Columbus City Council, CLRA Executive Director Roger Short Tuesday presented a $1.6 million plan for upgrading and improving neighborhood parks.
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks recommended each involved community put together an advisory board to work with CLRA officials.
“You’ve got to have people living in the neighborhood with a sense of ‘this is mine,’” he explained, noting community involvement will lead to community pride and a desire to properly care for the new facilities. “And they will be responsible. A lot of time people that do not even live in the neighborhood will come in and (damage the facilities), because they’re not stakeholders.
“I would hope we would build centers that have a purpose and not just build a building with no programs,” he added, calling for structured community programs to be enjoyed in the new facilities. “We need to make sure, in the long run, we’ve got the community buying in and then I would hope we would allow the citizens of the community to have some input and give them structure.”
Board President and District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders said he is unwilling to commit funds to the community park improvements until plans for the Burns Bottom soccer complex are concrete.
The City Council earlier voted to donate 14.9 acres of city-owned property and provide water and sewage infrastructure already in place, as well as in-kind services; the soccer complex, which has been likened to a downtown park, is to be located on 70 acres in the Burns Bottom area.
Columbus-Lowndes Development Link officials and the supervisors have been negotiating with 15 landowners in a “core group” of property owners, whose property is key to locating the soccer complex in the area.
The holdup
All landowners, except one couple, have signed options on their property or agreed to donate property.
As proposed the soccer complex involves 31 landowners, but the group of landowners whose property is required for the complex to be built in Burns Bottom is much smaller.
Larry and Becki Vassar of Little Rock, Ark., are the lone holdout, asking for about $15,000 above the appraised value of their property, Sanders reported Tuesday. Sanders said the county only can pay the appraised value of property unless it issues a finding of special circumstances, which was not done with other property owners.
The Vassar property, which is about 15 acres and the largest parcel of property in Burns Bottom, was appraised at $79,000.
The total appraisal for the 70-acre Burns Bottom properties came to about $288,000.
Sanders also noted the Vassars support the idea of a soccer complex being located in Burns Bottom; Becki Propst Vassar’s family was instrumental in securing the land for Propst Park.
‘At an impasse’
“We’re at an impasse at Burns Bottom,” said Brooks, adding the city and county need to decide how to fund the neighborhood parks plan, set aside the needed money and “let (the CLRA) go with it.”
“A decision needs to be made,” he said. “There seems to be an impasse about what’s going to happen (in Burns Bottom). If we don’t move forward and go ahead, we’re going to be looking for another piece of property.
“Let these bodies decide about the money (for the parks improvements), then just give it to (the CLRA) and we stay out of it,” he added.
“I don’t want neighborhood parks to be contingent on what happens in Burns Bottom,” said Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem. “This has to happen. I don’t think we should have a standstill.”
“I don’t see any reason for us to prolong this,” said Brooks, regarding neighborhood parks improvements. “We don’t need to have any more joint meetings or nothing.”
Dollars and cents
“I’m obviously for quality of life issues,” said Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box, estimating the city’s share of the costs would be about $800,000 to $900,000. “I share some folks’ concerns about the financial aspect of it. The county’s got deep pockets; we don’t.”
“We need to know where we’re going to get this money from,” agreed Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens.
“I’m all for it,” said District 3 Supervisor John Holliman. “Everybody just needs to get finances together. Right now is a good time to build; you get cheaper prices.”
“I thought we already decided we were going to move forward on this,” District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith said of the parks plan. “We’ve talked these things to death and I’m tired of talking. Everybody came to this meeting today expecting some kind of decision to be made.”
“I feel like the two bodies (of government) is just like kinfolk,” Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart joked of the Board of Supervisors and City Council. “If we need some money, we can always ask our kinfolk.”
“Let’s not let one family stop the (soccer complex) deal,” Columbus Mayor Robert Smith said, noting city officials support both the Burns Bottom soccer complex and the neighborhood parks plan. “In the meantime, the mayor and City Council, we need to be creatively coming up with ways to find matching money for the neighborhood parks complex. The supervisors are to continue negotiating with the Vasser family until the next supervisors’ meeting, Nov. 13.
And the city is to work on developing a source of funding for the city’s share of the neighborhood parks plan costs.
While the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors negotiates with property owners for Burns Bottom land needed for a proposed soccer complex, city officials will work to find creative ways to help finance a $1.6 million master parks plan presented by the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority.
In a joint meeting of the CLRA board of directors, the supervisors and Columbus City Council, CLRA Executive Director Roger Short Tuesday presented a $1.6 million plan for upgrading and improving neighborhood parks.
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks recommended each involved community put together an advisory board to work with CLRA officials.
“You’ve got to have people living in the neighborhood with a sense of ‘this is mine,’” he explained, noting community involvement will lead to community pride and a desire to properly care for the new facilities. “And they will be responsible. A lot of time people that do not even live in the neighborhood will come in and (damage the facilities), because they’re not stakeholders.
“I would hope we would build centers that have a purpose and not just build a building with no programs,” he added, calling for structured community programs to be enjoyed in the new facilities. “We need to make sure, in the long run, we’ve got the community buying in and then I would hope we would allow the citizens of the community to have some input and give them structure.”
Board President and District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders said he is unwilling to commit funds to the community park improvements until plans for the Burns Bottom soccer complex are concrete.
The City Council earlier voted to donate 14.9 acres of city-owned property and provide water and sewage infrastructure already in place, as well as in-kind services; the soccer complex, which has been likened to a downtown park, is to be located on 70 acres in the Burns Bottom area.
Columbus-Lowndes Development Link officials and the supervisors have been negotiating with 15 landowners in a “core group” of property owners, whose property is key to locating the soccer complex in the area.
The holdup
All landowners, except one couple, have signed options on their property or agreed to donate property.
As proposed the soccer complex involves 31 landowners, but the group of landowners whose property is required for the complex to be built in Burns Bottom is much smaller.
Larry and Becky Vasser of Little Rock, Ark., are the lone holdout, asking for about $15,000 above the appraised value of their property, Sanders reported Tuesday. Sanders said the county only can pay the appraised value of property unless it issues a finding of special circumstances, which was not done with other property owners.
The Vasser property, which is about 15 acres and the largest parcel of property in Burns Bottom, was appraised at $79,000.
The total appraisal for the 70-acre Burns Bottom properties came to about $288,000.
Sanders also noted the Vassers support the idea of a soccer complex being located in Burns Bottom; Becky Propst Vasser’s family previously donated the land for Propst Park.
‘At an impasse’
“We’re at an impasse at Burns Bottom,” said Brooks, adding the city and county need to decide how to fund the neighborhood parks plan, set aside the needed money and “let (the CLRA) go with it.”
“A decision needs to be made,” he said. “There seems to be an impasse about what’s going to happen (in Burns Bottom). If we don’t move forward and go ahead, we’re going to be looking for another piece of property.
“Let these bodies decide about the money (for the parks improvements), then just give it to (the CLRA) and we stay out of it,” he added.
“I don’t want neighborhood parks to be contingent on what happens in Burns Bottom,” said Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem. “This has to happen. I don’t think we should have a standstill.”
“I don’t see any reason for us to prolong this,” said Brooks, regarding neighborhood parks improvements. “We don’t need to have any more joint meetings or nothing.”
Dollars and cents
“I’m obviously for quality of life issues,” said Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box, estimating the city’s share of the costs would be about $800,000 to $900,000. “I share some folks’ concerns about the financial aspect of it. The county’s got deep pockets; we don’t.”
“We need to know where we’re going to get this money from,” agreed Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens.
“I’m all for it,” said District 3 Supervisor John Holliman. “Everybody just needs to get finances together. Right now is a good time to build; you get cheaper prices.”
“I thought we already decided we were going to move forward on this,” District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith said of the parks plan. “We’ve talked these things to death and I’m tired of talking. Everybody came to this meeting today expecting some kind of decision to be made.”
“I feel like the two bodies (of government) is just like kinfolk,” Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart joked of the Board of Supervisors and City Council. “If we need some money, we can always ask our kinfolk.”
“Let’s not let one family stop the (soccer complex) deal,” Columbus Mayor Robert Smith said, noting city officials support both the Burns Bottom soccer complex and the neighborhood parks plan. “In the meantime, the mayor and City Council, we need to be creatively coming up with ways to find matching money for the neighborhood parks complex. The supervisors are to continue negotiating with the Vasser family until the next supervisors’ meeting, Nov. 13.
And the city is to work on developing a source of funding for the city’s share of the neighborhood parks plan costs.
Neighborhood Parks project
Townsend Park
1. Demolish existing Charles Brown Gym: $25,000.00
2. Construct 5,000 square-foot community center
a. Metal building and erection: $75,000
b. Interior construction: $125,000
c. Brick Facade and Rod Suspended Canopy: $15,000
d. Parking lot: $20,000
e. Landscaping: $5,000
f. Optional-Moveable Partition Walls $25,000
3. Construct 5,000 square-foot open air basketball pavilion: $100,000
Total: $390,000
Sim Scott Park
1. Demolish old boys and girls club building $25,000
2. Construct 5,000 square foot community building
a. Metal building and erection: $75,000
b. Interior construction: $125,000
c. Brick Facade and Rod Suspended Canopy: $15,000
d. Parking lot: $20,000
e. Landscaping: $5,000
f. Optional-Moveable Partition Walls: $25,000
Total: $290,000
East Columbus Gym
1. Renovate existing gym: $100,000
2 Pave parking area: $20,000
Total: $120,000
Northaven Woods Park
1. Construct 600 square-foot open air pavilion: $10,000
The Dispatch is offering free classified ads in just about any classification to celebrate our redesign. Deadline is Thursday, February 11 at 5:00pm so contact us soon to place an ad. Click here for details
Bill | 11/4/2009 12:57:00 PMmark as inappropriate Streets with huge potholes in them,crimes such as burglaries and robberies,unemployment at an all time high,... And this soccer comlpex is there main focus.Does anyone else see a problem with this picture? I mean come on people...Lets get our priority's straight here.I dont wont to offend anyone so let me say I dont have a problem with the soccer complex but we've got greater problems to deal with right now.
Agreed | 11/4/2009 1:29:00 PMmark as inappropriate I used to live in Columbus but I have now moved to a larger City and live close to a soccer field. It is always packed full of Mexicans every time I drive by, but that is beside the point. With the way crime is in Columbus now, I really don't see how they can honestly believe the community will not destroy this new complex. I say step up law enforcement first. That is what I don't understand about Columbus and Caledonia, they always plan these huge projects that are supposed to "improve the community". I say start with the small things first and build up to the larger things, or the large things are doomed to failure. Everyone with these big ideas should study the broken window theory.
Beside myself | 11/4/2009 1:47:00 PMmark as inappropriate I agree. I am all for a soccer complex, but come on, there are hurting people in Columbus that can not even pay their electric bills. And another thing the county residents should NOT fund additional parks for the city. Caledonia has built their own park. Let the neighbors build their own in the city.........
Great job guys | 11/4/2009 1:57:00 PMmark as inappropriate $1,605,000 for neighborhood parks is
foolish. None of the people that it is intended
for will feel comfortable enough to go. After
a few months, it will merely turn into a run down
hangout for illegal activity.
Here is a better idea. Take 100,000 and invest it in added security at our existing parks. Once
"law abiding citizens" feel comfortable enough to
actually use it, you can slowly invest a few
thousand dollars per year in each area.
One of the reasons why we don't have good
parks in Columbus, is that we have to keep going
back and fixing everything. If a basketball court, is built one year, we shouldn't be replacing it the next. Instead, we should be adding outdo or grills and a gazebo.
Columbus ranks number 1 at spending tons of money with very little return on its investment.
Remember This | 11/4/2009 11:03:00 PMmark as inappropriate "What the Crap" this is how you want to waste $1.6M. That is Million everyone on inner city crack lots called "Play Grounds". $1.6million and that does not include the possible soccer complex. Tax Payers let your Councilman know how you feel about your Tax dollars and community safety.
It was once said and guess it needs repeating. Supervisors have their heads stuck somewhere...., causing them not to think straight. Spending money recklessly on things such as this, come on what the crap are ya'll thinking? Congratulations to the Vasser's, keep holding out...please. Don't be bullied by the City Councilmen and supervisors. Hold out on your price!
JShilling | 11/5/2009 12:31:00 PMmark as inappropriate This is a reply to REMEBER THIS commenter. Are you serious? You must have not read much about this. Columbus is in GREAT need of this Soccer Complex. Have you not noticed the huge growth of soccer in Lowndes County and other Mississippi cities in the past 5 years? You must be a football fan. This soccer complex is going to bring much needed growth to our community. You Remember This....Our children need this coplex and our community can use the growth and MONEY it will bring in.
Agreed | 11/5/2009 12:47:00 PMmark as inappropriate Jshilling, this is exactly the kind of thinking I am talking about. I am a football fan, but I would still say no to a new football complex. You act as though this soccer complex is some type of magical pill. I can see it now, hundreds of new businesses and residents flocking to Columbus because they have a new soccer field, millions in extra income for the city. It will probably pay for itself in the first 6 hours. Yeah right, pull your head out of your ass. If built, it will do nothing but waste money. If you build this in Columbus, it will just be a nice building in the middle of a pile of $hit. Spend money on the things the city really needs, and then worry about recreation. You have to learn to walk before you run.
Fed Up with Waste | 11/5/2009 2:27:00 PMmark as inappropriate I agree with Great Job. What a waste of $ to spend on community parks! I live in East Columbus. Hardly anybody uses that gym and improving it won't help. It will be tore up within a year by all the thugs who live over here and have no respect for others property. This neighborhood wouldn't be crime heaven if the cops had got up off their asses and done their jobs. They only way someone gets picked up for an outstanding warrant around here is if they get pulled over for a traffic violation. Heaven forbid the police should go out and find these thugs and haul them in...
Remember This | 11/6/2009 12:45:00 PMmark as inappropriate Remember This-- A bunch of money was spent on Lee Park a few yrs back, it's in a pretty good location/neighborhood, but its getting run down, its not used very much and if it is look who is using it! Drive by on a Sat or Sunday afternoon. So $1.6M on "crack yards" in the other parts of town, "What the Crap" are you thinking. If the Vasser's give in and sell then Burns Bottom due to its location will fall to the same dismay.
Major Timothy | 11/6/2009 2:35:00 PMmark as inappropriate I think the City need to pick a different location to buld. Where ever it is it needs to be safe for kids. As for Columbus, Ms I have not seen it grow in 30 years. Look at other towns in Mississippi that where about the same size at Columbus thirty years ago and look at where they are now. Enough Said. The only thing Columbus knows how to buld is Dollar Generals, Banks, Churchs.
