Othello Boys & Girls club to close
Council discusses alternatives
OTHELLO — The Othello City Council juggled ideas on how to offer a program equivalent to the Boys & Girls Club Monday night.
The club advisory board announced the termination of the club at a Nov. 27 meeting, according to city documents.
The exact date of the termination is not decided.
According to the document the board declared they could no longer support the club financially as of April 1, 2007.
The club may close earlier to save money.
The Boys & Girls club of the Columbia Basin would save $27,000 if they terminated operations by Jan. 1, 2007, according to the city document.
Councilmember Kenneth Caylor does not want to see the club close down forever.
"With all of us together, I think we can get it back together," Caylor said.
The council discussed a partnership with the Othello School District to have an after school program available for youth. Superintendent George Juarez informed the council on what after school programs are available.
After school programs include science club, chess club, art club and homework club, he said. Most of the clubs are academically focused and only meet once a week for a half hour to an hour.
Councilmember Kathy Carlton was concerned about the type of programs available.
"As a teacher I work my students all day," she said.
She suggested programs that allow the youth to do something non-academic so they can relax with some down time and have fun.
The council is concerned with the length of the programs. The programs at the school do not last as long as the programs at the club.
Mayor Shannon McKay referred to a council meeting several months ago when mothers attended with their children.
There are parents who feel the club is the only safe place to leave their children while they are away at work, he said.
"If a young person needs assistance we will find a way to make that happen," Juarez said.
The school district faces time and money constraints for getting the programs up and running to replace the club, he said.
"As you know, budgets are budgets and money is money."
The district does not have the resources to do what the club does, he said. It will take time to organize the programs and to get people to take charge, he added.
The partnership with the school district may not be the final answer.
"Eventually the city's going to need a long-term answer for this," McKay said.
The council approved $30,000 for the club to use in 2007 when they passed their budget in November.
The council agreed the club is a positive program and there is a need for some type of alternative program.
No decision was made at the meeting and the club will be discussed at the next Othello City Council meeting Monday at 7 p.m.