Inquiry On Delay On Replacement Of The Manning Avenue Bridge

Mr. David Merchant, Mayor, The City of Sumter

21 North Main Street

Sumter, South Carolina 29150

Mr. Gary Mixon, Sumter County Administrator, Sumter County Administration

21 East Canal Street

Sumter, South Carolina 29150

Re: Inquiry on Delay on Replacement of the Manning Avenue Bridge

Dear Mr. Merchant and Mr. Mixon:

The Family Unit, Inc. submitted the following inquiry to you on January 31, 2022 and absolutely no correspondence from you whatsoever, has been received in this regard. Below is the inquiry as submitted to you on the above-mentioned date.

The Family Unit, Inc. respectfully requests a copy of the "Draft Concepts" for the Manning Avenue Bridge that is supposed to be submitted on January 31, 2022, and in addition to this, please let it be known the following:

(1) The identity of the "Consultant" submitting the "Draft Concepts" for the said bridge

(2) Specify what, if any, community input that has been involved in the matters concerning the Manning Avenue Bridge?

(3) Specify the identity of the members of the Sumter Urban Area Transportation Study who have financial interests linked to the "Connectivity" Projects that the City of Sumter and Sumter County, South Carolina are engaged in and have proposed to engage in.

(4) Explain why the revitalization of the North Main Street and Manning Avenue Corridors were given precedence over the replacement of the Manning Avenue Bridge which connects the two said areas.

The residents of the City of Sumter, County of Sumter, South Carolina who are directly adversely affected by the risks posed by the decaying, deteriorating Manning Avenue Bridge are mostly low to moderate-income African-American people.

Equal Protection Under the Law must be granted to every citizens of the United States of America, regardless of race, creed, religious affiliation, sexual orientation or economic status.

The delay on the replacement of the Manning Avenue Bridge is a blatant violation of the Equal Protection Under the Law rights that are supposed to be guaranteed by the US Constitution's 14th Amendment.

Your attention to this matter is very urgent and response to the inquiry sent in regards to this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Yours Sincerely,

Brenda C. Williams, MD

The Family Unit, Inc., a 501(c)(3), non-profit, charitable organization

2 Aubrey Circle

Sumter, South Carolina 29153

Federal ID#: 26-3342684