City's $7M Baby

A resolution for the city of Monroe to provide matching funds in the amount of $7,426,609 for the Texas Standifer Sewer Trunkline was a major discussion during the Tuesday, June 14, 2022, Monroe City Council meeting. According to Mayor Friday Ellis and Ouachita Parish Engineer Kevin Crosby, this project is huge in scope and must be done if the city wants to improve its sewer/water infrastructure. Ellis said that this is an issue that he inherited from previous years where the project can no longer be left undone. The project covers about 9,000 feet (close to three miles) and is one of Monroe's largest economic projects. Community activist Verbon Muhammad wanted to know if the figure given was a typo, to which Council President replied, "7 million, baby".

Muhammad's concern was where the city would get the $7 million from, as Mayor Ellis and Councilmen Marshall and Harvey explained the money would come from funds in the American Rescue Plan passed by the Biden administration. Ellis also cited that other money to fund the project would come from federal funds secured by Congresswoman Julia Letlow. Ellis said that a "sewer force main" had developed over the years and that his administration is taking on the project to enhance the city's infrastructure that will affect homes and schools in the area. Muhammad said he understood why the city was taking on the project, but the city could have done a better job informing the citizens about the project. Council members told Muhammad how citizens could access council meetings if they couldn't attend them in person. Councilwoman Juanita Woods echoed his thoughts, saying that the city can better inform the public, especially if the announcement comes on short notice. The resolution passed 5-0. City council members also welcomed the new City Engineer, Morgan McCallister, at Tuesday night's meeting. McCallister said he is excited to be in Monroe and is ready to answer questions as he begins his new job. He said that he has met/knows most of the council members and that there will be some difficult conversations held in the chambers. He also said that seeing the award/presentation at the meeting made him proud to be a part of the city's team as the new city engineer. District 3 Councilwoman Woods made several announcements at the start of the meeting, saying that she was happy that work on the bridge walk overpass on Renwick St. and Hwy 165 had finally begun. She said that she and others had been working on that for a very long time, and the work is finally coming to fruition. The bridge has been there for decades and serves as a walkway for students that attend Carroll High/Jr. High will be painted in blue and gold, the school's colors. Woods playfully told those who attended Wossman to "share some love with the blue and gold". Woods also announced that the community would soon be seeing yellow ribbons on some light poles in the city, designating and putting into place the city's "No Dark Space" program. The ribbons will be placed around any pole where the light is out. The purpose is to "eliminate dark spaces" in areas because, as the councilwoman said, "Dark spaces mitigate crime, and we are trying to eliminate that." Where are funds for city council districts 3,4, and 5 from funds in the American Rescue Plan passed by the Biden administration? If other areas in the city are thriving, where's the money for the most impoverished areas of Monroe? All can see very few improvements have been promised. South Monroe pays taxes with very little return. There's something extremely foul with this picture!