City Council reviews Jackson Girls Club operations

City Council reviews Jackson Girls Club operations

Director outlines programs to get release of funds

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City councilors met with Director Chancey Rainey and club staff to consider releasing $18,000 in tax revenue funds designated by city ordinance to go to youth clubs.

With concerns about club services, city council voted on April 6 to hold off distributing the money until getting answers and giving consideration to the responses. The club produced requested documentation at the meeting. Rainey was loaded for bear and brought attendance logs.

Some had wondered if the club was regularly open after school.

“We need to go observe what is going on,” urged Councilman James Pulliaum at the onset.

“How can we observe when the doors are not open?” asked Councilwoman Helen Harris.

The director said some city councilors had been there to see the operation.

“Mr. Mondy stopped in,” said Rainey. “Miss Robinson has spoken to me there. Mr. McClendon has been in. In the past Melanie (Hutchinson) has been there. Other than that I haven’t seen anyone else in there.”

“Excuse me,” said Harris.

“I talked to you a couple of times when I first came on board. I said I’d like to meet you and your board my first January.”

“My board did not want to meet you, at that time,” replied Rainey. “I cannot invite you to the board and the board doesn’t give me free reign in who to bring to the meeting. That is not up to me. That’s not meeting me or coming in. It is not any of those things. If you have a question ask me about it. My number has been posted on the window for five years. Anyone who wants to contact me has the ability to do so.”

“Do you drive? I don’t see no cars out there,” said Harris.

“I’m going to tell you this; I don’t see your car either,” replied Rainey.

“You can’t see my car if you are not there,” said Harris.

Rainey said she brought all reports requested for the meeting and forecasts for future activities including functions next summer based on 75 participants.

Hopes for a new 4-H club with STEM tutoring and for a club sponsored girl scout program from daisies to seniors were expressed.

Most of the participants are teenagers, boys and girls, as another club cuts off that age group from daily activities according to the girls club director. The next day students were working out the basketball court and three were in the small library.

“That there is no one at the girls club is absolutely not true,” said Rainey. “I do not think we should be saying kids are not attending there. We have four basketball teams that are in there running all the time.”

Rainey told the group the club is open six days a week including from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday for after school tutoring and video gaming. Sometimes the club is used later into the evening and on Sunday for basketball league play.

“Look on the girls club website and you will see they are traveling and you will see the things they are doing, okay?” said Rainey.

But a search after the meeting revealed there is no website for the club.

Two city councilors confirmed that there is only a Facebook page. The social media page had nothing about basketball schedules, tutoring or any children’s activities. There were only a handful of posts in the last three years and all contained

photos of adult party

events on the premises.

Councilor Wayne Croom asked Rainey directly about using the building as an event center.

“We no longer do rentals,” said Rainey. “We have one scheduled for Easter from last year. We have made a decision last year that their would be no more adult rentals on the property because

they hold no respect

for the property.”

Former mayoral candidate Joyce Gray noted the chronic overgrown lawn and expressed concerns about upkeep. Keep West Memphis Beautiful volunteer crews have attacked the lawn and landscape in recent years. Though maintenance

is club responsibility,

two years ago city crews cut down vines that had snarled up the old tennis court area.

“For a long time that yard wasn’t cut, I talked to Mr.

Mondy about doing it,” said Gray. “I ride that area. I hardly ever see cars there.”

“That’s because children don’t drive,” said Rainey.

“Come in the building.”

The lawn was mowed the day following the meeting. Harris wanted to follow the money and wondered why the building and grounds were in disrepair.

She told city council last week she walked in seeing an overflowing toilet.

“How much do you make?” asked Harris.

“I make $10 an hour,” said Rainey. “We get there at about 12:30 and clean up.

We open the doors at 2 o’clock. My pay was cut as city funds dwindled.”

Council asked Rainey for contact information for the club’s board of directors and she promised to provide

that.

The City Council will next consider releasing the $18,000 to the club at its regular meeting April 20 at 1:30 p.m., at West Memphis

City Hall.

By John Rech