Area entities receive millions in mitigation funding

Pictured left-to-right: City of Woodville councilmember Paula Jones; city administrator Mandy Risinger; state land commissioner Dawn Buckingham and Woodville Mayor Amy Bythewood receive a check from the GLO. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE BLACKSHER

By Emily Banks Wooten and Chris Edwards
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LIVINGSTON – Dawn Buckingham, who serves as commissioner of the Texas General Land Office (GLO), was the featured speaker for the November meeting of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) and the highlight was Buckingham’s presentation of more than $100 million dollars of funds to various cities and counties within the 11-county DETCOG region. The meeting was held last Tuesday, Nov. 21, at the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe’s multi-purpose center near Livingston.

“Federal funds can be complicated to administer, but the GLO is helping communities across Texas cut red tape and turn funds promised into projects delivered. These projects were prioritized at the local level by those who live in the communities that will ultimately benefit from the improvements. We are in Deep East Texas because we care about this region and want to help move these projects forward for the benefit of these communities,” Buckingham said.

Community Development Block Grant Mitigation funding is administered by the GLO and will be used for a variety of projects to mitigate the impact of future disasters including hurricanes and floods. More than $161 million in mitigation funds were allocated to Deep East Texas following Hurricane Harvey.

Through a method of distribution developed by DETCOG and approved by the GLO, two-thirds of the mitigation funding is going to local jurisdictions, including seven counties, 14 cities and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, giving each community the ability to implement mitigation projects that meet its own unique needs. One-third is going toward regional projects to improve broadband and interoperable public safety communications.

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Tyler County received a total of $12,060,000 of the funds, which was allocated in two chunks: $2,672,000 for drainage improvements throughout the county and $9,388,000 earmarked toward water and street improvements and an emergency generator for the Colmesneil area. Two cities, Ivanhoe and Woodville, received checks of $1,933,000 and $3,325,00, respectively.

“The Texas General Land Office is proud to help communities grow knowing that the projects we fund will help protect local infrastructure, businesses and the homes of those who live here,” Buckingham said.

With November being Native American Heritage Month, it was only appropriate that DETCOG’s monthly meeting be held at on the Tribe’s land.

Members of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe performed several cultural dances for the crowd as part of a tribal historical presentation, including the grand entry, the round dance which is also known as the friendship dance and the hoop dance which represents the circle of life.

Welcoming the DETCOG members and representatives to Polk County were Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy; County Commissioners Guylene Robertson, Mark Dubose, Milt Purvis and Jerry Cassity; Livingston Mayor Judy Cochran; Alabama-Coushatta Chief Kanicu Mikko Choba Donnis B. Battise; and Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Council Chairman Ricky Sylestine.