County Mayor Weston Wamp said Wednesday that money was pulled from the Urban League after the county identified unusual purchases by the group as well as allocated money that had not been spent.
He spoke to the County Commission after former City Judge Walter Williams told commissioners that County Mayor Wamp "lied" to them and they "were duped" by him.
Judge Williams called the removal of funds from two black groups "a cancer on Hamilton County." He said, "I couldn't believe it. It had never been done before."
The former judge said the Urban League ought to sue over the issue. He said, "I'll be a witness."
Earlier, the commission voted to pull $1,050,000 that had been pledged to county Parks and Recreation, the Urban League and Sankofa Civic Engagement. The Urban League had been told by the prior administration that it was getting $450,000 and Sankofa was pledged $400,000. Parks and Recreation was to receive $200,000 for parking lot paving projects at the Enterprise South Nature Park.
Commissioner Lee Helton said the ARPA funds would go instead to provide a turf field at the Howard High School football stadium and upgrades to the softball field at Brainerd High School.
County Mayor Wamp said an analysis of Urban League spending showed $23,850 going for "a glass wall" and the purchase of two $10,000 copiers and $9,000 in blinds. He said large amounts allotted to the Urban League for certain programs had not been spent. He said certain invoices were done incorrectly.
The county mayor said he had sat down with members of the Urban League board and offered to sponsor a program to boost black entrepreneurs at a level above the amount taken from the group.
He said Urban League president Candy Johnson had declined to meet with him on that or other matters.
Dorothy Lee, a longtime Urban League member, said the glass wall was part of a needed office expansion.
She said the copiers were bought "because we were spending $1,000 a month on copies."
Ms. Lee told commissioners, "You need to get the facts."
Commissioner Greg Beck, who said he voted against pulling the money, said, "There is a way to work this out without fighting and without the accusations."