The local Boys and Girls Club provides a place for Yazoo children to have fun, stay out of trouble and spend time with each other in a positive way.
But that safe zone may be not been around too much longer.
The clubhouse is literally falling down.
“If these problems are not fixed soon, we might have to close our doors,” said Stayce Allen, director of operations with the Boys and Girls Club of the Mississippi Delta. “People aren’t denying that there are problems. We would just like to see some action.”
David Dallas, chief executive office of the Boys and Girls Club of the Mississippi Delta, asked for assistance during Monday’s city council meeting.
Dallas thanked the city leaders for allowing the local club to use the former school building as its facility. However, with recent leaks and water damage, the situation has become “dangerous.”
The city board said they would look into the matter, but took no firm action during its open meeting.
The Yazoo Herald visited the local club and found restricted areas that hold excessive amounts of water damage and what appeared to be black mold.
Although the children are not allowed in these areas for safety and health reasons, they are limited to the small spaces where they can have a club of their own.
Buckling under the strain of rainfall and water, ceiling panels are falling to the ground. Light fixtures are hanging by one cord from a collapsed ceiling panel. Floor tiles are soft, filled with water.
The entire south hallways of the club is closed off to the public, which is often underwater after a heavy rain.
Scattered throughout the remainder of the building that the children use, there are areas of water damage. Old leaks mingle in with fresh water spots as the ceiling shows signs of deterioration.
The once heavily-used gymnasium now resembles a ghost town. The large area was the site of carnivals, basketball games, recreational activities and other events. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration even held a robot camp inside its walls.
Now, it is a damp and wet cesspool of damaged floors and possible black mold. Even the walls of the gymnasium are soft, wet upon touch.
“The children have to use classrooms now if the weather doesn’t permit them to go outside,” Allen said. “They simply can’t use this gym anymore. “
Lakita Scott, unit director, said the gymnasium was a vital lifeline for the local club.
“The gym would draw a lot of our teenagers in,” Scott said. “And there were summer basketball camps. Parents would come to those and would sign up for registration into the club while they were here. Now that we can’t use the gym, I have noticed our number of teenagers has decreased.”
Thomas Christian Academy students would also use the gymnasium for various recreational events. That has since stopped with the recent damage.
In fact, the gymnasium has not been used at all since the beginning of last fall.
Allen is worried that if the club has to close its doors, the aftermath would be detrimental for the Yazoo community. The club has contributed to a local decline of juvenile crime and teen pregnancies. Thanks to mentoring and tutoring efforts within the club, many children have shown improvements at school.
If the club closes, that progress halts.
Boys and Girls Club officials have been reporting the leak issues for a few years when the problems were small. Some of those problems were fixed, but the solutions were mostly “Band-Aid” projects.
The building is owned by the Yazoo City Municipal School District. But it is leased to the city of Yazoo City.
The Boys and Girls Club, in turn, subleases their space from the city.
The sublease states that the city of Yazoo City “does hereby lease a portion of the main building formerly occupied as the Yazoo City Junior High School, being the teacher’s lounge and classrooms 101 through 109.”
However, the gymnasium, which is the area with the most damage, is not included in the sublease. The gymnasium is actually part of the city’s responsibility.
“The remaining portion of the building and out buildings are not included in the sublease,” the contract states. “The gym and auditorium may be used by the (Boys and Girls Club) on an as needed basis that does not conflict with events previously scheduled by (the city of Yazoo City).”
Based on the sublease, the club is responsible for maintaining its portion, which includes the teachers lounge and eight classrooms. However, the gymnasium and auditorium fall under the city’s responsibility.
The club does maintain its portion of the facility. However, the club does not control the second floor of the building, directly above its space. Water causing damage to the Boys and Girl Club’s space is coming from above.
John Wallace, school board president and chairman of the Boys and Girls Club advisory committee, told The Herald that although the school district owns the facility, it is the city’s responsibility to maintain it.
“We agreed for the city to pay the minimum price for their annual lease,” Wallace said. “That contract states that the city would maintain it. And they are not doing it.”
Alderman Dr. Jack Varner, who was part of the previous city administration that entered into the contract, said the city can’t legally make the repairs.
“We cannot repair somebody else’s building with the city’s money,” Varner said. “They (the school district) are responsible. We pay them enough rent to pay for the building’s insurance.”
Varner said the city has assisted with minor repairs. But when it comes to maintenance, he said it is the district’s responsibility.
“When it comes to major and roof repairs, we just can’t do it,” Varner said. “We certainly need to figure something out that could house the Boys and Girls Club. We have that house next to the police department. We might could fix that up for them.”
Wallace said he is well aware of the issues inside the local clubhouse.
“We are about to lose that gym, and now we are losing parts of the hallway,” he said. “The plaster and ceiling are falling in. Lights are hanging almost to the floor.”
Wallace said he sent the district’s maintenance supervisor, Rodney Harris, to look over the problem areas.
“We sent our maintenance guy to see if there is anything we can do since the city is not maintaining it,” Wallace said. “I want him to then present the school board with his evaluation and recommendations to see if there is anything we can afford.”
Wallace said these issues did not happen overnight and that it is a shame the city is not sticking to the contract.
“If that club doesn’t have a decent place, they probably will have to shut down,” Wallace said. “But we just can’t sit by and watch it deteriorate.”
