The Columbia City Council met in regular session Monday at their newly designated time of 5 p.m. Several topics were discussed, including a donation to the Trabue Russell house, grants, cameras for Citizens Park, and Synergy Food Corporation.
Synergy Food Corporation
The city purchased the land and building that was formerly Majestic Yachts on Nov. 8, 2021, for $1.5 million. The city obtained a federal community development block grant for $1 million and borrowed $500,000 to purchase the property.
on December 1, 2021, the city entered a 15-year lease-purchase agreement with Synergy Food Group, LLC for $1.5 million. In the agreement, Synergy agreed to pay $9,983.15 per month for 15 years at which time the city would deed the property to Synergy.
According to documents obtained by the Community Voice, until January 2025, Synergy made payments on time every month. Most payments were ACH payments from Synergy Foods directly to the city’s economic development account. At least four payments were made by Greg Durrett, the named owner of the LLC.
Synergy missed payments in January, April, July, and September of 2025. At the beginning of October, two payments were made together – which leaves them two payments behind and October’s payment due by the end of the month. To date, there have been 38 payments made totaling $379,359.70.
During Monday’s meeting, Mayor Pam Hoots said Synergy was behind one payment. However, following the request for documents by the Voice, it was determined that the company is currently behind on two payments. City Clerk Woody Sharpe confirmed the payment status.
Once all project activities are complete for a Community Development Block Grant, the final phase begins to close it. A final report must be submitted to show that everything has been done in compliance with the grant conditions. This also includes having a public hearing to inform citizens of the use of the funds.
The mayor told the council that the Department for Local Government wants the city to begin the process to release the CDBG.
“We will have to do a hearing and everything, also. This releases the City of Columbia from any obligation we have with that grant, but it does not release Synergy from any obligation,” Hoots said. “So, I just need permission to start that process. It’s going to take a month or two.”
Payments made by Synergy to the city go into an economic development fund and can only be spent on economic development projects. The city uses that fund to repay the $500,000 bank loan. Since the $1 million came as a grant, anything paid by Synergy over the cost of the bank loan will provide revenue for future economic development projects.
The ending balance on that bank account as of September 30 was $212,472.24.
Gift Given to Trabue Russel House
Trabue Russell House committee members Susan Loy, Chuck Rogers, Susan Upchurch and Mary Anne Loy presented a donation check to the city for the restoration and upkeep of the house. The donation was made by Christa Gimbel for $5,000 for the restoration of the Trabue house.
“We want to say thank you to Christa Bell Montgomery Gimbel…We want this to certainly be earmarked for what she intended, not for the everyday things but for the special things,” said Mary Anne Loy.
The mayor presented a quote for the camera system at Citizens Park for $9652.55. This includes four cameras, the dvr system, and installation. There will be a monthly monitoring fee of $79.82 per month. The council approved it unanimously.
Fall paving bid of $60,490, which will pave Knox St., Baker St., Cole St., Jefferson Alley and the city park was accepted by the council.
A request was approved to apply for an ARC grant for gas lines. The mayor said that she and Jerry Watson had met with Lindsey Wilson University about two years ago and they are planning a major expansion in the next few years. This grant will be used to change out the lines on Fairground Street, Wain Street and Sandusky Street to increase the line pressure to go to LWU. This is a $1 million grant. It is a 70/30 matching grant. However, if they receive additional grant funding it will only cost the city 3%, or $30,000.
The council gave the major authorization to sign FEMA grant documents for $52,057.28.
“We were the first people in Kentucky to turn in our information, the first people to get their contracts signed, and we are the first people to get this. They initially told us that we wouldn’t get this for three to four months the other day and we received it the next day,” said Hoots.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
