Troup County tables LaGrange Housing Authority funding request while staff pursues intergovernmental agreement

Troup County commissioners on Aug. 19 voted to table a request from the LaGrange Housing Authority until staff and legal counsel can finalize a joint funding agreement with city partners.

County Manager (unnamed) told the board he had spoken with Deborah Black of the LaGrange Housing Authority and with the housing authority’s architect and county engineers but was not ready to seek approval. “At this time, I don't know that we're ready to move forward,” he said, describing the need for a formal funding mechanism that would define each party’s contributions and any in‑kind services the county might provide for paving a parking lot to serve a proposed quadruplex.

The county attorney (unnamed) advised that the county lacks direct statutory authority to make donations to a city housing authority and recommended an intergovernmental agreement as the lawful path. “I’d like to see that there's no direct statutory authority for the county to make donations to the city housing authority,” the attorney said, noting the agreement must identify exchange of value and allowable services.

Commission discussion focused on drafting an agreement that would allow the county to provide in‑kind paving services while preserving legal compliance. A commissioner moved to table the request to allow staff and counsel to continue working with the housing authority, the city manager (Patrick Booth) and other partners; the motion passed without recorded opposition.

Next steps: staff was directed to continue negotiations with the housing authority and city staff and return a proposed joint funding agreement to the board for consideration.