Mayor defends plan for National Boys & Girls Club at Armory as neighbors and local operators raise concerns

Mayor Sid Noor told the City Council on June 22 that he has pursued a partnership with the National Boys & Girls Club of America to provide K–5 after‑school programming at the Armory (422 Montgomery Street) and described a multi‑step outreach process, a feasibility study and proposed terms.

The mayor said an initial feasibility study costing $20,000 was completed for the Armory, and that a state legislator had secured a $1,000,000 bond “for the National Boys and Girls Club of America, not for the city of Laurel, but to invest in our building, 422 Montgomery Street.” He said the proposed agreement is a 15‑year contract with rent of $1 per year and that the city solicitor is reviewing the contract; he stressed permits and upgrades would be processed through normal procedures.

Neighbors and local stakeholders contested aspects of the proposal during public comment. Wilbur Nicholson, a longtime local Boys & Girls Club volunteer, said the city should support the existing local club and questioned why a national entity was being positioned to operate in the Armory. Nicholson said local staff and volunteers operate year‑round programs and that outside investment should not supplant neighborhood providers.

Jennifer Laskin, an attorney and West Laurel resident, asked for greater transparency about funding and program administration. She pointed out that a 15‑year lease at $1 per year raises questions about long‑term program funding and recommended a public RFP or community competitive process rather than only an MOU or direct arrangement. Laskin also noted the potential displacement of senior programs that are currently within walking distance for some residents and asked what funding sources would sustain daily programming.

Mayor Noor defended the process, saying the National Boys & Girls Club would operate weekday after‑school programming (roughly 1:30–6:00 p.m.), would leave some city uses unchanged (first‑floor fitness room and other spaces) and that the city has historically used MOUs and program rotations. He said teenage programming remained under discussion and that council members had received the feasibility study in advance.

The council did not take formal action on the Armory proposal during the June 22 meeting. Council members and the solicitor debated whether the matter required more formal council review or should be handled by the administration under existing charter authority for transfers and MOUs; several councilmembers asked for clearer definitions of terms and oversight before committing to long‑term arrangements.