GATEWAY -- Gateway was to receive $18,000 in grant money from State Sen. Cecile Bledsoe and State Rep. Grant Hodges to be presented at the May 10 City Council meeting. But, the mayor turned it down, according to Bledsoe.
Bledsoe said she had an $18,000 check in General Improvement Funds which included $10,000 from Bledsoe and $8,000 from Hodges for Gateway to help with the newly developed Police Department.
"Mayor Hackler called and said they didn't have a police department and wouldn't need the check," Bledsoe said, adding that she told Hackler she would still like to attend the May 10 City Council meeting, but Hackler told her it probably wouldn't be the best session to attend as he was planning to let the police chief go and city officials would be talking about the police department.
On May 6, Hackler called The TIMES saying: "There's no reason for you to come up this week for our council meeting because Mrs. Bledsoe and Mr. Hodges will not be there. They have other engagements and had to postpone. It'll be at a later date ... will just have a humdrum council meeting."
When asked about the Police Department, which was begun Jan. 13, Hackler said Police Officer Grant Hardin resigned because he was too busy with school and the job.
At the Council meeting, Hackler presented Hardin's resignation and said he started the Police Department prematurely.
General News on 05/18/2016