Houston mayor pauses Fifth Ward relocation program for review
Houston mayor reviews cancer cluster relocation
There was controversy at the Houston City Council meeting on Wednesday over cancer clusters in Fifth Ward and the money needed to help families move off contaminated grounds. FOX 26's Political Reporter Greg Groogan tells more about why Mayor John Whitmire request for more time caused protest.
HOUSTON - "Cancer clusters" in the Fifth Ward attributed to legacy creosote contamination prompted Houston City Council to set aside $7 million last year to help dozens of residents directly at risk escape the threat.
Just days into the job, Mayor John Whitmire announced the true cost of re-location could rise to $40 million and asked Council Members for a month to reevaluate a current plan he described as incomplete and disorganized.
"I just want to be as transparent and as open with the residents as possible. They are depending on us," said Whitmire.
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The proposed one-month delay triggered an immediate pushback led by Council Member Tarsha Jackson who argued residents have already waited too long for relief.
"I learned about the cancer cluster back in 2014 and we've been talking about it since 2014. People have been dying," said Jackson.
"They are looking to our leadership and saying, when are they going to be true to their word," said Council Member Edward Pollard.
"To delay this after all these years of suffering in this community, I do not think is the right course," said Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz.
"They are going to say, see, I told you, they weren't interested in doing anything," said Council Member Tiffany Thomas.
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And yet the bid to over-rule the new Mayor's single month of re-evaluation collapsed in a lopsided,12 to 5 show of support for Whitmire, who called Fifth Ward a "top priority" while pledging to meet personally with residents considering re-location with the ultimate goal of ensuring they can afford to both remain and thrive in their new neighborhoods, should they choose to move.
"You can't reach out to other levels of government unless you have a workable plan and you have got to have the support of the residents," said Whitmire who noted only one of 47 resident families eligible for re-location has moved out of Fifth Ward.
Whitmire indicated his intention to seek additional monetary support for the program from Harris County, the State of Texas, the Federal government and the responsible party, Union Pacific Railroad.