Determining How To Spend Federal Dollars In The Magnolia State

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- A public hearing that was held Wednesday night could help determine how some federal dollars are spent in the Friendly City.

The Mississippi Home Corporation and the Mississippi Development Authority were in Columbus seeking input from local residents.

MDA’s Authority Manager said the state got $29 million in federal grant money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development last year.

Input from these meetings can help determine how some of that money is spent.

“Local government has the right to apply for the funding to the state, but it’s very competitive so everyone doesn’t receive funding, however, we do encourage local governments to apply particularly if you have infrastructure needs and things of that nature because the money is so important to help their citizens and their communities,” said Ray Robinson Jr., with the Mississippi Development Authority.

There are a total of five public hearings scheduled statewide.