The Clayton County Board of Commissioners is seeking $559,000 back from what it has paid to developer Roman United for a small business incubator at a proposed $800 million mixed-used development in Lake City.
The $559,000 was to be paid for schematic designs for the $4 million economic incubator at the proposed site.
In the county commission’s regular meeting on Tuesday, April 18, Clayton County Deputy Chief Operating Officer Landry Merkison said that is not what Roman United delivered.
Instead, $59,000 was paid for a seven-page “PowerPoint-type” document.
Another $200,000 was paid for a 27-page presentation and finally, $300,000 was paid for a 49-page presentation. Merkison said of the final 49-page document, 27 pages were from the previous presentation.
Roman United also had not met benchmarks set for Dec. 21, 2022 and a letter was sent in January saying the county was no longer obligated. In March, an email was sent asking for the money back.
In Tuesday’s meeting, commission Vice Chair Felicia Franklin asked Jacques Roman if he was going to give the money back.
“We will talk to the attorney, my attorney, that’s the answer I can give right now, moving forward,” he said. “That’s the answer I give.”
Earlier in the meeting, Commissioner Alieka Anderson demanded answers and demanded Roman United give the money back.
“This presentation tonight is horrible, and it’s nothing, and we’ve got to do better for our taxpayers,” Anderson said. “We have to do better for our community, and for you all to bring this to us looking like this tonight just as you brought the things you brought to this board in order to get that $559,000 — which was cut-and-paste — nothing showing any type of site plans that look like anything is just… I can’t even think of the words.”
She continued, saying “you all need to give us our $559,000 back…
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