A motion to advertise for bids to tear down the condemned McComb Martin Luther King Center gym and build it back as an open-air pavilion with basketball courts failed at last week’s city board meeting.
The board has proposed using $50,000 from a $2 million bond and adding to a previously committed $60,000 in parks funding to refurbish the gym, as well as proceeds from the city’s 3 percent motel tax, which goes to parks and recreation.
In November, former Selectwoman Tammy Witherspoon and Selectmen Donovan Hill and Ronnie Brock pushed to have money from a recent $2 million bond issue go toward the gym.
But last week’s motion failed due to disagreement over plans for re-construction.
Selectman Ted Tullos, Hill and Brock voted against the motion, while selectmen Tommy McKenzie and Michael Cameron voted in favor.
Hill and Brock repeatedly asked the mayor about proposed phases in which to complete the gym work.
Hill and Brock said they thought Phase I would be to tear down the gym and return it to an open-air basketball court.
Mayor Whitney Rawlings disagreed.
“In my mind Phase I is the deconstruction of the old gym, and Phase II is returning it to a court that is usable,” he said.
The failed motion would have authorized work to bring the building down to its steel frame and concrete foundation and install new goals and a roof.
“We are ready too move forward with this,” Rawlings said. “This will be the bid to deconstruct and reduce the current gym to its steel frame and its concrete foundation. We committed this money in previous meetings. Now we are ready to use this money to make this happen.”
But Brock and Hill asked for clarification about the work and how it would affect the future of the gym.
“So this is not the beginning of a project that will even close in the gym?” Brock asked.
The mayor, circulating a picture of an open-air gymnasium, said that was his ultimate vision for the MLK Gym.
“This open-air gym has been the goal in my mind all along,” the mayor said.
“But you’ve been using the terms ‘Phase I’ and ‘Phase II,’ and we understood this to be Phase I,” Hill said. “That type of athletic atmosphere is not good for the community.”
Officials asked City Administrator Joseph Parker about security at the center.
“There will be fencing and added security lighting,” Parker said.
“But we would like to see the building still standing and see the $50,000 used to bring it back,” Hill said.
McKenzie proposed launching a study.
“We are getting studies done of Delaware and Railroad, why not the MLK Center?” McKenzie said. “I wonder if we could get a special study assessment that will determine cost-to-need ratios.”
Hill disagreed. He said the people in the city have paid their taxes and deserve a gym.
“But they have been told over and over that they will get this gym,” Hill said.
“I’ve never promised to bring that gym back to its original form,” Mayor Rawlings said. “This board has previously agreed to this.”
With the Ward 3 selectman seat vacant until a Feb. 23 special meeting, Tullos’ vote could have pushed the project through. Tullos, however, said he was opposed to the project other than condemning the building and tearing it down.
The mayor, obviously frustrated following last week’s developments, said in an interview following the board meeting that it will be up to other selectmen to bring the subject back up again.
“It will not be me who brings this subject back up again,” he said. “Maybe these selectmen can get together and make something happen.”
The city board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in city hall.
