Leaders of the historic Jefferson City Community Center have raised serious concerns that funds specifically designated for a street safety improvement project in front of their facility have not been disbursed to them.
Patsy Johnson, president of the board overseeing the Jefferson City Community Center, explained that the street adjacent to the building is dangerously narrow and cannot safely accommodate the volume of daily traffic that passes through the area.
The community center is situated at 608 E. Dunklin St. in the Foot District, a historically Black neighborhood within Jefferson City.
“You have businesses all around us,” Johnson said. “You have Lincoln University. You have Employment Security right up the hill. Across the street is the busiest park in the city. Per MoDOT, it’s over 20,000 vehicles per day that come right up this street.”
Funding obtained through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development community development block grant had been approved to address these safety concerns, according to documents reviewed by local media.
Original plans for the project
According to documentation from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a project intended to install protected parking, add flashing safety beacons, and bring an existing ramp into regulatory compliance received approval during the summer of 2025.
The documents indicate that $60,000 from the community development block grant was specifically earmarked for this project, even though the estimated total cost of the initiative was listed at $155,000.
Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater’s signature appears at the bottom of the document, indicating that he formally approved both the project and the associated grant funding nearly one year ago.
Despite this approval, Patsy Johnson and the remaining members of the Jefferson City Community Center board confirmed that they have not received any portion of those funds.
“We’re approved through the environmental HUD and everybody else,” Johnson said. “It’s just the politicians, the city council, the current ones, have wanted to table it, downsize the project.”
Several months ago, the Jefferson City Council voted to table indefinitely a measure that would have authorized the distribution of those funds.
When contacted twice for comment regarding their decision to postpone the disbursement, only one council member, Julie Allen, provided a response.
“As a city council member, my responsibility is to carefully evaluate every project, listen to residents and stakeholders, and ensure that taxpayer dollars , whether local, state or federal , are being invested responsibly and in ways that best serve our community,” Allen said.
City offers alternatives to original plan
Earnette Smith, another board member of the Jefferson City Community Center, appeared before the City Council in a direct effort to appeal their decision. In a formal statement, he emphasized that the building currently poses safety risks, partly due to its non-compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
“This project represents more than infrastructure,” Smith said in the statement. “It is a commitment to public safety, accessibility and responsible stewardship of federal resources. Our community has already invested time, planning, and trust into this initiative. We ask that you do the same by ensuring its full and proper execution.”
An official from a mid-Missouri housing authority, who requested anonymity, noted that funds allocated through community development block grants cannot simply be redirected toward other projects.
The process involves multiple layers of approvals and environmental assessments that must be completed beforehand, a process that can span several years. Furthermore, if the designated funds are not utilized for their intended purpose within a specified timeframe, they may be forfeited entirely. The official described these grants as strictly “use-it-or-lose-it” in nature.
The board members of the Jefferson City Community Center are increasingly concerned that they may ultimately receive none of the funds originally allocated for the project. Should the City Council continue to table the matter indefinitely, those resources could be permanently lost.
“I would just like to see a safer and better area,” Johnson said. “We just want to be appreciated, and we want to be heard.”
