Policy making as it should be
Tuesday night 11/4/2014 I watched the open form of government as the open meeting law intended when the Columbus City Council discussed in open session two of the policy items on the agenda.
The first was the discussion of a purposed drainage ditch alongside Hwy 82 in the vicinity of Lowe’s that would benefit the area south of there by funneling the water from Caty Hills directly to the Lux instead of allowing it to hit the flat open area south of there. The cost of $2.6 million would greatly reduce the mediation costs to repair and upgrade the sewer and storm drainage systems that were estimated to be in the $15 million range in 2010.
The city would have to do a 25% match of about $750,000 in 2016 and it was presented that all the regulatory entities were already on board. Now this is the kind of project a person could listen to the discussion and understand that the quality of life for a large group of our fellow citizens who live in the area, as well as those who travel through during heavy rains, would be improved.
This is the type of project bond money is made for: Life expectancy of the project would be in the tens of years and would benefit lots of citizens and improve the city overall.
The second was the complete discussion on the housing grant project and how the city could prepare the best possible application to improve the chances of receiving funds to assist some of our most-in-need fellow Columbians. Well done to the Council and Ms. Berry for this discussion.
Berry Hinds
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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