Two agencies battle for control of East Akron Community House building
By Stephanie Warsmith, The Akron Beacon Journal | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Now, Appleton, whose agency,
His only competition: the EACH board that wants to hold on to its home.
In the middle of this East Akron battle is the city of Akron, which intends to purchase the EACH building on
Akron received four responses to its request -- Appleton's EANDC, the EACH board and two organizations that would like to lease space in the building, but don't want to take control of the facility.
The EACH board, though, is continuing to struggle even as it is making a pitch to maintain control of its building. The board has been unable to secure insurance, prompting
"We are moving forward," Maher said. "We inherited this disaster. We're taking all the steps that a responsible board of directors would take."
Akron Mayor
"We are trying to clear the financial mess EACH has been in," he said. "We want to preserve the building and retain it for use."
The insurance problem is the latest in a long list of struggles for EACH, which has little or no funds and debts to numerous creditors. An investigation by the
Akron asked for agencies presenting proposals to take over the EACH building to provide information about the amount and sources of funding and whether the funding is proposed or committed. They also want to see a plan for operating the building for five years, and several additional documents, including evidence of financial commitments, tax returns, audited statements for the past three years and three years of bank statements. The deadline was
EACH proposal
EACH was unable to provide the financial documentation Akron requested, although it did provide a plan for future funding.
"The requested information pertains to a time period in which mismanagement of EACH resulted in the present situation in which the
EACH outlined a three-step plan that involves getting the agency back into full operation, developing a budget and acquiring the needed funds through grants, gifts and a membership campaign. The board said it would need
The proposal included a letter of support from South Akron Youth Membership, which has operated out of the EACH building the past year.
"EACH is a necessary and vital facility for our community, and EACH can provide the vehicle for many joint efforts to better our community and city," wrote
The proposal says the services being offered in the EACH building are SAYM, Project LEARN,
YEPAW and
Maher said EACH has been trying to keep as many programs and services operating in the building as possible while "trying to address the past disaster that was left by prior leadership." She thinks EACH is the agency best suited to continue operating its building.
"There's an interesting confusion between the building and the organization," Maher said. "For the city to be making the determination of which is best equipped to fulfill this is kind of odd and may be troubling. We're the board of directors. We can run this organization. We have a plan and vision and commitment."
Maher said EACH is an "independent, nonprofit, not a neighborhood development corporation."
EANDC proposal
EANDC was the only agency that provided all documentation requested by the city. It presented its plan in a 2-inch thick binder with tabs.
EANDC said in its proposal that it would like to buy the building from the city. The agency said it has assets of
EANDC said it would provide some services in the EACH building and contract with outside agencies, including the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Service Board, Project LEARN,
The services would include: community organizing and block club development, emergency family outreach, home buyer counseling, energy efficiency and consumer education, youth vocational training, drug and alcohol counseling, GED preparation, preschool and medical care.
The proposal says EANDC has committed funding of about
The EANDC board included with its proposal agreements with five outside service providers that would operate in the building, and letters of support from nine other local agencies. The board noted that improvements will need to be made to the EACH building and that the
Appleton said EANDC has a plan for revitalizing
"Our thinking is that we need to provide a holistic model of serving the community," he said.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or [email protected]. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmithabj and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarsmith. Read the
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