Who can use the old Rockmart High School gym, and who can’t? Find out more about the issue.
A question remains open for one organization looking to help kids in Polk County: where are they going to meet during the winter months?
Abundant Life Community Center's Lori Depew was back before the Rockmart City Council during their October meeting to seek an answer to her organization's request in September to use the old high school gymnasium for a Wednesday night program.
She said that after not hearing an answer for several weeks, and voicing her frustrations in a Facebook post, that her request would likely be denied.
"Three weeks went by, and the longer it went on we thought it was probably going to be bad news," Depew said.
That wasn't entirely the case, according to Rockmart city attorney Mike McRae.
He explained that such a big program of 200 or more kids in the facility at one time posed a big liability problem for the city, along with the lack of a nonprofit designation and insurance for the Abundant Life Community Center.
Depew did say she was working to correct both of those issues, and that Jason Slaughter of Connect Share Ministries offered to allow to organization to operate under his nonprofit status until Abundant Life can obtain their own, and donations have come in to help with getting liability insurance.
"In the spring and fall, we can be outside and it isn't a problem," Depew said.
She said the hundreds of children she and other adults work with in the program need a place to shelter during the winter. As it stands, she said the kids have no place else to go but park bathrooms.
"I hope one day to have my own building," she said.
McRae explained that when the city rents out facilities like the parks, they are done so on a single-day basis, since the city isn't allowed to partner with outside programs such as the Boys and Girls Club, who previously attempted to work with the city to build a facility.
They'd love to do it, McRae said, but legal issues keep them from doing so.
He and Ellis also explained when Depew asked how other programs were able to use the gym that they are programs within the recreation department.
Ultimately, she sought a yes or no answer, which the council wasn't ready to give yet.
"Based on the information shared with us at this point, there needs to be a discussion between this group," Ellis said.
McRae also added that because of Abundant Life's plan to use the gym on a regular basis, it would constitute a regular lease with the city which isn't a norm since they are a third-party.
There were also concerns about who would be responsible for children in the program, cleanup responsibilities each time it was used, insurance, how long they'd be using the gym and several other problems.
Depew said it would be utilized from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Wedneday nights to allow for extra time to get all the youth participating in one place, since many required pickup and dropoff to and from their houses.
Releases have also been formulated and signed by parents, Depew reported.
The council promised to present her with an answer within two weeks of the Oct. 11 meeting when she spoke to the group last.
Currently, the group partners with the Victory Baptist, Crosspoint and local Methodist churches, No-C Campaign/ Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and PolkHaralson Baptist Association at Camp Antioch.
They help kids and teens in a variety of ways, from job placement for older youth involved to helping with food, medication and utility assistance for needy familes and acting as mentors for all in the program through a variety of activities on Wednesday nights.