Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Steven Leonard Youth Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission recommends Merced College as top pick for Steven Leonard Youth Center; public presenters ordered for April
Summary
A Recreation and Parks Commission subcommittee ranked Merced Community College top among six qualified applicants for a five-year lease of the Steven Leonard Youth Center; public commenters and several applicants urged more community-centered options, and commissioners voted to require applicant presentations at the April meeting before making a final recommendation.
The Merced Recreation and Parks Commission on Thursday moved to forward the subcommittee’s top-ranked applicant — Merced Community College — to City Council as the recommended five-year leaseholder of the Steven Leonard Youth Center, but delayed a final commission recommendation until applicants present their proposals in person.
Director Christopher Jensen told commissioners that staff received seven responses to last winter’s request for interest and that a three-commissioner review panel compared six qualifying proposals against criteria including community impact, program clarity, financial sustainability and facility activation. “The first organization that was ranked the top application was Merced Community College focusing on teen and adult education, workforce development, family supports, and college for kids,” Jensen said during the presentation.
Several applicants and community members urged the commission to reconsider or to give grassroots groups more weight. Gloria M. Sundal, a local organizer, told the commission she was “a little concerned about them having rent-free facility through the city, through our taxpayer money,” and said smaller local groups had invested time and expected fuller consideration. Eli Saxs, representing a coalition of seven grassroots organizations, said members had been told three organizations would be chosen for council consideration and that they felt the process had been misleading.
Merced College’s dean of allied health and public safety, Joe (Joey) Serena, described the college’s plans and partnerships, including scholarship funding for Merced City School students and free bus fare for enrolled college students. “We couldn’t be more excited to be able to be a footprint in South Merced,” Serena said, citing college-for-kids offerings, basic-needs services and partnerships with UC Merced.
After public comment and discussion, Commissioner Member Lewis moved — and Commissioner Member Gonzalez seconded — a motion requiring that each applicant make a brief presentation at the commission’s next meeting; the motion passed 4–1. The commission chair and staff said the presentations will be limited to materials that were submitted in the original proposal and that the item will be agendaized for the April meeting; staff set the next meeting for Monday, April 27 at 5:30 p.m.
Until the commission makes a formal recommendation to City Council, the subcommittee’s ranking — with Merced College first and Youth Leadership Institute and the Dr. Jennifer M. Jones Foundation listed as alternatives — will remain the working record. The commission did not vote that night to finalize a recommendation to council.
The commission also approved the consent calendar, including minutes from the March 3 meeting, which passed unanimously despite a brief tally glitch recorded by staff.
The commission’s next procedural step is to receive the applicants’ presentations, deliberate in public and, if ready, make a formal recommendation to city council for council consideration later in April.
