Acknowledges residents issues with process
Montgomery City Council said no to the location of the proposed 56-unit apartment building from Community Asset Development Group (CADG), which would have gone at the end of the cul-de-sac on 7th Street Southeast, at Monday’s regular council meeting.
“We spent a lot of time discussing this and going through this project. I would say it’s been several years now, and the project has always come with mixed emotions, and I guess I don’t really blame the neighborhood for that mixed emotion. I had a couple myself,” said Montgomery Mayor Thomas Eisert. “There’s a couple items led me down a path that I think is appropriate for the city. I’ve heard what the residents have to say. I’ve actually spent a lot of time on my own, just kind of monitoring the early morning traffic, mid-afternoon traffic. There’s an issue. In my opinion, a real issue. I don’t think any opposing views the neighborhood brought are invalid at all. Do I want to see a project like this happen in the community? Absolutely, but this ain’t the location. It just doesn’t work for the neighborhood, and then secondly, the one’s that maybe a little more tender, is, even though I don’t think there was any inappropriate behavior executed at this point in time, we have a clear conflict of interest that we have to navigate through. My moral compass and ethical compass will not allow me to me to recommend moving this project forward because of that.”
The other council members agreed with Mayor Eisert.
“The more I researched it and looked into it, the more I agree the site that it was speculated to go on, is not the place for it,” said council member Zach Matson.
“We do need more housing. I know that. This town is in kind of dire need of housing,” said council member Brad “Butch” Kubes. “The more people you bring to town the more chance of business, the more chance you have of growth. This can get kicked back to EDA and hopefully find a site that fits it better and get rid of the conflict of interest.”
Residents of the neighborhood...