4 months ago
It took a second try, but Macon City Council had enough votes to apply for a $1.5 million grant Tuesday night.
Last week, council voted seven to five to apply for state community development disaster relief funds, but needed eight votes to pass.
Mayor Robert Reichert addressed council at their special called meeting, before they took the second vote.
Reichert expressed support for the grant application.
The grant would establish a revolving loan fund for housing development projects.
One place that would likely benefit, the old Atlantic Cotton Mill site behind the Pio Nono Avenue Kroger.
Naming that project in the grant application kept some council members from voting for it the first time.
Some council members also wanted to see the money used in other neighborhoods within the city, and had many unanswered questions after last week's meeting.
Councilman Mike Cranford, who voted against the resolution last week, decided to support it this week.
Cranford says he looked through paperwork for the grant, which helped answer many of his questions.
He also introduced an amendment to the resolution that gives council oversight of the loan fund, and the authority to approve all loans, if the grant comes through.
Cranford says, "once I gathered all the information and once I put into place the proper steps to make sure council has oversight, then it passed."
He says based on his research, some of the money can be used to help revitalize neighborhoods damaged in the Mother's Day storms, if a developer comes forward to apply for the funds.
Because it's a joint application with Bibb County, they will also have to ratify the changes at their next meeting, and can also ask to have oversight of the loan fund.
Although the city and county versions of the application do not match exactly, County Grant Administrator Kari Kitchens does not think it will jeopardize the application.
The grant application deadline is Friday.
