City council members debate proposed Florence teen center

Debate over a proposed teen center continued Monday after members of Florence City Council’s finance committee presented their recommendation that funding for the project be pulled from this year’s capital budget.

Councilmen Ed Robinson and Billy D. Williams and other advocates of the teen center had requested nearly $400,000 be allotted for the construction of a new teen center to serve all of the city’s youngsters, but that funding was not included in the committee’s report presented Monday. The committee is made up of Council members Buddy Brand, Steve Powers and Octavia Williams-Blake.

The report included $1.2 million for the construction of a new fire station in South Florence, funding for a city tennis facility and a recreation center at Levy Park, as well as $250,000 the city previously committed to the Florence Area Humane Society to aid in the construction of a no-kill animal shelter.

“I support the animals, and I’ve been for the shelter all along, but we need to support the teens, too,” Williams said upon reading the committee’s report. “We’re putting all of the money into the animal shelter and taking it all away from the teens. These are the kids — this is our future.”

Brand said he also supports programs for teens but argued the city needs to utilize the community centers it has rather than build a new centralized teen center.

“We have four or five centers around the city that run just fine, and they’re all in different neighborhoods,” Brand said. “Did anybody go to the West Florence-South Florence game Friday night? There are already tensions between these different schools. Can you imagine getting all the high school students from South Florence, West Florence and Wilson together and thinking you’re going to have a good ole time on a Friday night? We’re just inviting problems. It’s not going to work in Florence, S.C. It’s just going to be a waste of the city’s money.”

Robinson said he disagrees and believes the, with proper staffing, the teen center would run just as smoothly as any other community center in the city. He said the whole reason for a teen center is to bring people of different backgrounds together.

“You’re creating this separation,” he said. “You say it won’t work. It will work if we put it together right. It needs to be something that encompasses everybody. That’s why I wanted to put it in the old library building (at the corner of Pine and Irby streets). People thought we should just use the Barnes Street facility, but I didn’t want that because then it’s ‘too black.’ I wanted it in the middle so everyone would feel comfortable.”

Robinson said he wants the teen center to be an educational center, not just a hangout. He said he envisions a center with computers, counseling sessions and educational classes.

“This is going to be more of an educational center than a place to just go have fun,” he said. “The whole purpose is keeping these kids out of jail and teaching them how to become adults.”

Through COPS grants, Mayor Stephen J. Wukela said the city will be able to hire eight additional community police officers. In the past, Robinson has spoken out vehemently against the mayor’s proposal to hire 18 additional officers. But on Monday, Robinson said he thinks the addition of eight officers is warranted, especially in light of a proposed curfew for youngsters.

“If we put the curfew in place, we’re going to need those officers,” Robinson said. “I concur, but eight officers is enough.”

Officials with the Pee Dee Community Action Agency Weed & Seed program also requested $75,000 in emergency funding from council.

“They’re totally, completely out of money,” Robinson said. “We either give them a commitment today or they have to close down. We have to have these programs to keep our kids off the street.”

Robinson and Williams asked City Manager David Williams to look into funding the request, but other council members said they don’t think the city can do it.

“Asking David (Williams) to find $75,000 right now is like asking him to try to find a needle in a haystack. We just found out about this a few weeks ago, and we don’t have it to give. Where could we possibly get the money from?” Brand said.

He also said the committee worked hard to find funding for these projects without implementing a tax increase. To provide funding for these projects, the city would implement a 1 percent cut across the board in all areas except police and fire. In addition, city employees will not receive merit raises next year. They will, however, receive the standard cost-of-living adjustment and longevity bonuses.

No action was taken during Monday’s meeting.