Editor’s Note: The author of this article sits on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina, Vance County Unit.
The Henderson City Council resolved last night to request a public meeting of with the Vance County Board of Commissioners in yet another attempt to resolve the impasse in negotiations over the fate of the Armory and the former library on Rose Avenue.
During the report of the Land Planning and Development Committee, chaired by Council member Bobby Gupton, a copy of an email was distributed by City Council member Mary Emma Evans from Elaine Chavis-Young, President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina, Vance County Unit. In the email, Chavis-Young stated that the Club has not officially asked for the Armory nor the old library. She goes on to say that the Club has formed a Property Committee to evaluate a facility location. The president of the Club says that if the Armory were offered, a six-month feasibility study would be conducted and would include repair and operation costs and whether it is in the best interest of the Club to accept the building.
The email was composed after a meeting of the aforementioned Property Committee and was not voted upon by the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina, Vance County Unit. It is unclear whether the email represents the official policy of the Club regarding the matter of the Armory.
Members of the Club’s board, including Chavis-Young, have stated publicly on numerous occasions that a gift of the Armory would be readily accepted.
After reading the email, Gupton stated that it was his understanding that the Club wanted the Armory.
Evans stated that she did not solicit the letter. At the last Council meeting, however, she mentioned several times that the Council had not received a formal written request from the Club for the building.
Gupton reaffirmed that the Council wants the Armory and the former library to be considered as separate issues in negotiations. Referring to a letter received from County Manager Jerry Ayscue which refers to Vance County Board of Education member Robert Duke’s request for the Armory to be donated to the Boys and Girls Club, Gupton indicated bemusement at why the County chose to respond to Duke’s request but did not respond to other letters sent by the City to the County during the course of negotiation between the two entities over the buildings.
Henderson Mayor Clem Seifert stated that the Boys and Girls Club did not need to be put into the middle of the problem. He indicated a need to resolve the issue, predicting that if it was not resolved that the two biggest “blights” in Henderson would be owned by the City and the County.
Gupton indicated to Seifert that the Mayor is the City’s most talented negotiator, and yet he never shows up for the meetings. Seifert replied that he does not attend because he is accused of “backroom dealing”. After some wrangling, he agreed he would participate in future talks with the County over the issue.
Council members generally agreed that they had been fair in the course of discussions over the buildings with the County.
Gupton stated a goal of saving the Armory. He affirmed that the City has no interest in the former library, but that it “needs something to negotiate with”.
The Council resolved to solicit a request from the Boys and Girls Club for the Armory. City Council member Garry Daeke volunteered to obtain that request from the Club’s board.