Calhoun County, AL Calhoun County, ALIn a major step toward strengthening oversight and governance Anniston City Council voted unanimously to improve oversight and governance. Anniston City Council voted unanimously in a special call council meeting last night revive the long-dormant oversight panel that is part of the McClellan Development Authority (MDA). This move is aligned with the city’s overall goal of taking on the role of a developer and overseer of Fort McClellan, the military’s former base Fort McClellan.
“It McClellan’s must remain in the control by the City,” emphasized Anniston Mayor Jack Draper. The council’s unanimous vote opened the way to pass a joint resolution with members of the Calhoun County Commission, initiating the meeting of the oversight committee that is responsible for evaluating the MDA.
The Calhoun County Commission, in a separate vote of unanimous consent during its regular meeting on 14th December, adopted an ordinance to create the oversight committee. The oversight committee, constituted by a state law of 2009 was absent for a few years because of the impact on the spread of pandemic.
Once it’s formed the committee of oversight will take on important responsibilities, such as the selection of a chairman, establishing the schedule for biannual meeting with the MDA and resume supervision and oversight of MDA’s operations and activities.
The resolution also demands that the MDA to give the oversight committee a an extensive update of its progress since the last meeting with the previous oversight committee around the year 2018. The main areas of concern are properties, environmental restoration initiatives, plans for development of Fort McClellan, financial accounts investment, and much more.
The Mayor Jack Draper emphasized the importance of the oversight committee’s function by stating “It is crucial for us as the appointing authorities the legislative delegation to be informed about the progress and activity that are being carried out by the MDA.” Draper’s dedication is extended to both the city as well as the county, which will become the governing body for Fort McClellan.
“It is crucial to begin discussions about the process of transferring assets and property belonging to MDA MDA into the City, and a in partnership with the county,”” Mayor Draper said.
The Councilwoman Millie Harris emphasized the significance of partnerships. She said, “The region, county and city all are all invested to Fort McClellan. These partnerships are essential to the development of the property and, ultimately, in the transfer that the land will be transferred to the city of Anniston.”
MDA Board members Julie Borrelli and JD Hess also appeared in JD Hess and Julie Borrelli in the Calhoun Journal. Mrs. Borrelli said “I believe that all organizations and not just the MDA has to be properly monitored to ensure they don’t diverge from their goals. The oversight has an vital function. The City and County play an important role in the supervision of the MDA and it is their obligation to carry out this. I think that the MDA has done a fantastic job in the development process so far, and when the city takes over the oversight role and is in a position to continue their work and push this to the next stage since they have a greater number of sources and contacts to ensure the continued growth in McClellan.” J.D. Hess said, “I was appointed by the Calhoun County Commissioners to report to them on the activities and decisions from the MDA. I think this type of communication could be improved and must be enhanced. I am happy that the oversight committee has been revamped and will play an active role. The progress of McClellan is essential in Calhoun County and should be an absolute priority.
Many Commissioners have spoken to several Commissioners who spoke to the Calhoun Journal after the meeting and shared their thoughts on the decision. The Commissioner who spoke to the Journal was Terry Howell “My part in this is because I want to have Anniston along with Calhoun County be successful and any thing I can do in order to make that happen, I will. There’s plenty of land and lots of land, and we have to make the most of what we can get out of it.”
The Commissioner Lee Patterson shared, “Communication is crucial and essential in all situations and the Oversight Committee is simply a method to improve communication. We appreciate the work that MDA Board members have accomplished and are doing, and will continue to do. It’s about ensuring McClellan is McClellan is the most valuable resource for Calhoun County it can be.”
Commissioner Danny Shears added, “When we were contacted from the mayor of Anniston and the City Manager to assist with the legal OversightCommittee reconvene we were fully supportive. One of my favorite quotes is that people tend to be dissatisfied with what they aren’t aware of. This is a means for the county and city to be updated on the main issues going on at McClellan and to be informed of the latest projects planned for the future.”
MDA lawyer Jason C. Odom, addressed The Calhoun Journal and stated, “The MDA has always welcomed members of the City Council, County Commission and Legislative Delegation to any of our public meetings, which are held every three months in the MDA office. We send out public notices to the members on a regular basis and our activities at the MDA are always open for public comments and reviews. The MDA welcomes a reconstitution of the Oversight Committee and looks forward to keeping the Committee informed of its activities.” He also elaborated that pursuant to the specific language of SS11-92B-18 (https://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/alison/CodeOfAlabama/1975/11-92B-18.htm), the affairs of the MDA shall be “supervised and monitored” by an Oversight Committee. He also added that the section in question stipulates the following “The approbation of the oversight panel will not be a requirement for the legitimacy of any decision that is taken by the board in exercising any of the powers conferred upon an authority under this section.” This is because the MDA is an independent corporation, established in accordance with law. If the oversight committee doesn’t “approve” of an action the MDA has undertaken or plans to perform, the decision is not a factor in the MDA’s actions in exercising their powers. It does not confer an implication of “hands on” authority, since the MDA is accountable for performing its own power and responsibilities.
The Calhoun Journal also reached to Julie Moss, MDA Director but she was unable to make a statement.
The decision to reinstate the oversight committee is an important step toward the direction of the city of Anniston who are vocal about wanting control back under the city’s own authority and the Commission would like an oversight panel to be an integral element in the overall process. It is also noted that the MDA Board would have to decide to dissolve itself in order in order in order to take this step.
