A city board vote Tuesday to borrow money to build airport hangars turned into a discussion about support for other projects in McComb — or lack thereof — and allegations of racism behind those decisions.
The board voted 4-2 to approve the resolution with selectmen Michael Cameron, Donovan Hill, Ted Tullos and Shawn Williams voting in favor of it and Ronnie Brock and Devante Johnson opposing.
Johnson said he still had issues with the intent noting that he spoke with the city’s financial employees who told him the city’s borrowing capacity was not great.
“We don’t have a lot of borrowing capacity left. We don’t have a lot of room to cushion them to even consider this,” he said. “With this language and if they don’t rent out those hangars and that doesn’t come through, then the bottom line is it is coming back to this board.”
The city is primed to make a 200,000 loan with the Mississippi Development Authority for 10 years with 1% interest.
The loan is identical to the Pike County Board of Supervisors’ contribution to make a match for a $400,000 grant to build 10 enclosed hangars at the airport, which the city and county jointly own.
The city board previously held up the process until it could get a resolution from the airport board stating its intent to repay the loan using hangars rental proceeds. Then the city board held it up again to add that language to that resolution.
When asked what the city’s remaining borrowing capacity was, City Administrator David Myers said he was not sure but would get the information. Myers said that even if the airport could not pay the note, the city could absorb it with no problem. Airport officials said there’s high demand for the hangars and rental fees for them would cover the loan’s monthly payments.
“If the city did borrow some money, it is my opinion that the city would still be in good shape,” Myers said.
Cameron noted that the loan’s monthly payment would only be $1,200 and the city should be able to afford that. That’s a different situation from the board’s previous action to seek bids on an estimated $50,000 new air conditioning system for the Alpha Center because the city hadn’t budgeted for it, he said.
“To make it sound like we can’t afford it is ludicrous,” Cameron said, adding that the city has made the airport board “jump through hoops” to get the funding. “... The airport is a business asset to McComb. We’re owners of it. It will improve that.”
Cameron’s remark caused tension among the board. Williams, who has made the Alpha Center a pet project, asked Cameron why he voted against the Alpha Center work.
“I am not going to vote against the airport ... but I just want to make a comment against Selectman Cameron that it was not necessary to bring it back up,” he said. “Why is it so hard for us to get stuff done in our communities. ... I can’t understand why it is so hard to agree for the quality of life for people.”
Brock said Cameron’s opposition wasn’t about the budget but an illustration of the racial divide on the board and in the city.
“We are wasting a lot of time. This is not about the money or where it is coming from. This is about Black and white,” Brock said.
Cameron disagreed and repeated his stance that he voted against the Alpha Center due to a lack of a clear budget.
“As you continue to turn it and turn it and turn it. I agree with quality of life and doing things in your community,” he said. “It is when we approve to go out to bid with no budget. That was my reason and that was the only reason. (It) has nothing to do with the color.”
Johnson said the Alpha Center and the hangar are two different situations.
“Sometimes Selectman Cameron listens to respond and not listens to understand,” he said. “We are talking about borrowing money here. The MLK Center and the Alpha Center budget that is not about borrowing money. Look at the budget, we still have money for the Alpha Center. You don’t know what you are talking about. Read before you respond.”
Mayor Quordiniah Lockley eventually broke up the discussion at the call of Cameron, who said the board was getting off topic.
Johnson was speaking at the time and told Lockley that Cameron “got his rant, I would like to finish mine.”
