Opelousas Gets $4,3 Million For Center
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
Plans for the Opelousas Community Center project in South City Park are expected to accelerate as separate groups of city officials were told last week that $4.3 million in federal broadband revenues have been received for the project.
Former city CAO Purvis Morrison, who now operates M&M Consulting, publicly announced the funding acquisition twice last week.
Morrison told the Board of Aldermen during a meeting last Tuesday that the broadband funding, secured by District 40 Rep. Dustin Miller allows the city to use previously Community Center dedicated money for Opelousas City Library improvements.
Three days later Morrison also apprised Opelousas Downtown Development members that the $4.3 million is expected to completely fund the proposed $2.19 million Community Center project.
Morrison is being paid $12,000 annually as a consultant for the ODD.
The ODD had previously agreed to provide the majority of funding for the Community Center, similar to what the District is spending for the $8 million Donald Gardner Stadium renovation in South City Park.
A resolution adopting acceptance of the broadband funding was passed last Tuesday by the Board.
Morrison said no matching funds are attached to the $4.3 million.
During a St. Landry Now.com in an interview on Friday, Morrison said that the city, with the assistance of state funding secured by Miller, had previously planned to provide $1 million towards the Community Center project funding.
Another $500,000 in state funding was designated for the library renovations, said Morrison.
Morrison said that now the $1 million earmarked originally for the Community Center can be used for the library, if the Board of Aldermen approves.
Morrison told both the ODD and Board of Aldermen that Opelousas qualified for its share of the broadband funding since the architectural design and other plans for the Community Center had already been approved by the ODD.
The revenues, Morrison said, are derived from about $2 billion available through the LA Connectivity program, which he said apparently has received additional broadband funding that can be used for projects associated with broadband.
“This available money has been funding a number of projects. Representative Miller heard there was money available and he applied for the funding that will be used for the Center,” Morrison told the Board.
Morrison admitted that he does not know all the specifics about what portion of LA Connectivity broadband funding is being used for the Community Center.
“All I know is that there was new (broadband) funding that became available and that money has different parameters,” said Morrison.
Morrison said it is now crucial for the city and ODD to ensure that all the compliance elements associated with the grant are following.
“The (Community Center) project was already designed and ready, so we are not worried about that. What is important is that all the documents required for the funding are properly handled on a weekly basis, so we can get started (on the Community Center) in December,” Morrison added.
