St. Marcus Marches to Demand Acquisition of Malcolm X Building From MPS

August 17:  35 staff, students and supporters from St. Marcus Lutheran School marched from their campus at 2251 North Palmer to the Malcolm X school site at 2760 N 1st Street. There they held a prayer vigil.

Their demand? MPS should sell the building to St. Marcus even though the MPS board has been engaged in a planning process for the site for over a year.

Is the urgency by St. Marcus due to the fact that the board is getting close to finalizing its proposal?

Following is a resolution that will be considered by the board this month.

                                                                      ACTION ON A REQUEST TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 1314R-­004 BY

DIRECTORS BONDS AND MILLER REGARDING A COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER

Resolution 1314R-­004

By Directors Bond and Miller

WHEREAS, MPS incurs costs for the maintenance and upkeep of its buildings, even when they are unused and vacant; and

WHEREAS, A vacant building, no matter how well maintained, is not only a wasted resource, but also a detriment to the neighborhood in which it is situated; and

WHEREAS, Administrative Policy 5.01(8)(e) states that vacated school buildings owned by the Board shall be used for other purposes, if economically feasible; and

WHEREAS, At its regular meeting on August 30, 2012, the Board, in response to Resolution 1213R-­‐002 by Director Bonds, directed the Administration to develop the Community Partnership Shared Facilities Program, through which space in our vacant buildings is to be rented — for nominal fees, such as the cost of the utilities — to community-­‐based organizations which would provide free services to MPS students and which are non-­‐profit 501(c)3 organizations that have been in existence for five years or longer, or are government agencies, or are universities, colleges, or other accredited post-­‐secondary educational institutions; and

WHEREAS, The MPS-­‐owned building located at 2760 N. First Street, which housed the former Malcolm X Academy, has been vacant since 2007; and

WHEREAS, The community surrounding that site is in great need of a resource center that could provide educational, cultural, neighborhood, and recreational programming and services; and

RESOLVED, That the Board designate the former Malcolm X Academy’s facility at 2760 N. First Street as a Community Resource Center which will provide educational, cultural, neighborhood, and recreational programming and services to the surrounding community; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board direct the Administration to develop an educational plan identifying the educational program or programs that are to be offered by the Center; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board direct the Administration to work with the community to identify the shared resources desired for its new Resource Center; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board direct the Administration to develop a contract for the coordination of services and for the management and oversight of the Center; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board direct the Administration to report to the Board by November 2013 with a plan to implement the creation and operation of this community resource center; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, The community resource center is to open in the Fall of 2014.

July 30, 2013