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Marquis Clark praises Northside gains, urges continued investment
Summary
Resident Marquis Clark told the Spartanburg City Council the Northside has seen major gains over 15 years — including sharp declines in violent crime, teen pregnancy and poverty — and urged the city to sustain and expand investments that residents and partners have built, calling the results "proof that our investments are working."
At the July 27, 2026 Spartanburg City Council meeting, resident Marquis Clark credited a 15-year, community-driven effort for what he described as major gains on the Northside, and urged the council to keep expanding investment.
"We should view the progress of the past 15 years not as a reason to slow down, but...as proof that our investments are working," Clark told the council. He cited figures he said were recently reported — including an "85% reduction in violent crime since 2012, an 80% reduction in teen pregnancy since 2007, and a 40% reduction in poverty since 2011" — and said those statistics represent safer streets and greater opportunity for residents.
Clark identified himself as a Northside resident and a former principal of the Cleveland Academy of Leadership and thanked city leaders, churches, businesses, schools and nonprofit partners for collaborating on long-term change. Mayor Rice thanked Clark for the remarks during the public-comment period and closed public comment before the evening's consent and business items.
City staff did not provide additional data during Clark's remarks; councilmembers later asked Parks & Rec staff and administrative staff for longitudinal registration and participation data on a separate youth-program presentation, indicating the body seeks more evidence when considering program expansion.
