City employees and consultants talked for over a year about the Major League Baseball (MLB) grant to help with funding Propst Park. In that time, most people were led to believe the City had submitted the grant in December 2022 and were waiting to learn if MLB would fund it. When Columbus Matters reached out to MLB, a representative responded in an email, “We do not have any record of “City of Columbus” or “Columbus Parks and Recreation” ever applying for our grant.”
In the 2024 budget proposal, it was unclear whether any sources of income included grants. The Parks & Rec Director, Greg Lewis, recommended that the City borrow $ 3 million for Propst Park, even though as of the August 15th Council Meeting, hasn’t spent any of the $1.4 million and spent nothing the year before.
The City Engineer, Kevin Stafford, identified the MLB grant in April of 2022 and said that together with Greg Lewis, they
were working on it. Lewis put the MLB grant on the May 2022 Council agenda.
Councilman Green has asked repeatedly about the status, apparently under the impression the grant application
was submitted. In the May 16, 2023, Council meeting, Green again asked about the grant.
The COO talked so low (or the audio was not working) that most people could not hear what she
said, but Green’s response was, “okay, so we don’t know the status.” Greg Lewis chimed in saying that whatever the amount they get from the baseball grant he will use to “further enhance” the park. But no one corrected the lie of omission with, “a completed grant application does not exist.” [And, for those without vivid imagination, neither do unicorns and leprechauns]
On MLB’s website it states that those who submit a completed grant will receive a status update within 60 days. Columbus Matters put in a public record request for the submitted MLB grant application. On MLB’s website it states that letters of Inquiry (LOI) for funding consist of three parts: information form, letter of inquiry (no more than three pages), and budget proposal.
COO, Jammie Garret, failed to include all the required documents and only sent the information form via email to MLB on December 28, 2022. The COO copied Kevin Staff ord and Greg Lewis on the message to MLB. At the time in response to the public records request, the COO failed to disclose that the grant was not in process.
Only after Columbus Matters provided the City with its email from MLB stating no grant application had been received
did Garret send the rest of the requested information and a lengthy email (that is on the Columbus Matter’s website) stating they hadn’t submitted a complete grant application. The covered-up failure, now exposed, could have included disclosure by
the City of the deceit. However, the City chose a different route.
Greg Lewis, who was originally tasked with applying for the grant, did not respond to questions. The Mayor did not respond. Councilman Green did not respond.
The City Council and City staff are quite eager to spend and borrow taxpayer money, but not as eager to spend private funds. The COO went on to say, “there was no rush to get it submitted as it is a revolving grant opportunity with no deadline.”
Perhaps the Mayor and Council should set a target deadline?
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