The Virginian-Pilot
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SUFFOLK
When it comes to jump-starting the economy, a playground isn't going to cut it.
The City Council learned Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development didn't think that was a proper use for $50,000 in federal stimulus money. The money should be spent on a project that creates jobs, HUD officials said.
Norfolk received similar advice on its plan to rehab public basketball courts, said Ron Williams, a special assistant to the city manager. The city has since revised its plan, he said.
HUD officials in Richmond said they have given similar guidance to other cities but didn't know offhand how many projects they have discouraged. The agency is trying to help communities navigate the evolving regulations of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act so they don't lose funding, said Ronnie Legette, director of community planning and development in the Richmond office.
"We're in a sense trying to coach them so that everyone's comfortable with the moves that are being made," Legette said.
Suffolk planned to put $50,000 of the $150,017 it is receiving in Community Development Block Grant Recovery funds toward a playground at the new East Suffolk Recreation Center. Those are the same funds Norfolk planned to use for the basketball courts.
In a report to the City Council, Suffolk staff said they had been told a playground "may not be viewed as an appropriate use of recovery funds." HUD "strongly suggested" the city find another use for the money, the report said.
The fix was simple enough. The council voted to put the $50,000 toward drainage improvements in the South Suffolk neighborhood while moving the same amount of money from the drainage project to the playground.
"In other words, you take money out of your left pocket and put it in your right pocket," Vice Mayor Curtis Milteer Sr. said.
Williams said Norfolk officials had thought their initial proposal was OK because the recovery act legislation listed examples of what the money couldn't be spent on, such as aquariums, zoos, pools and golf courses - but not basketball courts.
HUD is trying to minimize the number of parks and recreation projects funded by the block grant recovery money, Legette said.
In all, about $9 million in block grant recovery money is going to the region covered by the Richmond HUD office, Legette said. The area encompasses all of Virginia except the four northernmost counties.
Legette said his agency is still gathering data on how many jobs the block grant recovery money is estimated to create in Virginia.
Dave Forster, (757) 222-5563, dave.forster@pilotonline.com
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Stimulous
What's wrong! Are the city councils who want to waste this money the same as the ones who voted for the liberal politicians. I bet they feel dissed by the Obama Administration.
Well aren't they clever
Our country is falling apart at the seams and the people in charge of fixing it are playing shill games so that they can have a $50,000 playground! Why on earth aren't people taking this serious? Every dime of that money needs to be spent on creating jobs, and I mean real jobs. PLEASE use the money to grant loans to small businesses. Jobs will be created and the money will be paid back with interest. I certainly hope the people of Suffolk will hold these fools accountable for their actions.
To all "Government" program advocates
All of these local governments are broke, each of them has constituents that are without jobs, families have lost their homes, the sick and elderly are in need of assistance that is currently delayed or denied under the current government programs…..and playgrounds and basketball courts are where they are going to put their stimulus efforts.
None of the housing projects in Norfolk could use a maintenance update so that (if government is getting free ‘windfall’ dollars, ha ha) local contractors could be hired to repair/replace hvac units, windows, roofing, etc. etc.
Basketball courts……yes sir, now there are jobs we can believe in!
All these cities and states are just continuing to throw money around. They all need to be out of office, we just can’t afford these types change and these types of leaders.
Cruption at every level!
The fix was simple enough. The council voted to put the $50,000 toward drainage improvements in the South Suffolk neighborhood while moving the same amount of money from the drainage project to the playground. Questions: 1.Is this the intent of the stimulus? 2. Is this $50,000.00 going to create even 1 job? If you ever vote for a Democrat you should just admit you are an idiot!!