Seattle Weekly Story on First AME Sale

The Weekly has a story about Fred Stephens and First AME. It's pretty much stuff I knew (and I suspect most of you know) but there are a few notable items:
  • First AME Church's secretary says Fred Stephens is still a member
  • Michael DeBell defended the Board's choice and said Stephens didn't play a role but that it was "entirely managed by Ron English." He also said that what the Board unanimously voted for was similar to what happened to University School, Phinney Ridge and West Seattle.

I like Michael but that's just plain disingenious. They are not similar efforts except that they all, in some way community based. First AME is a church and the other groups running those community centers are not.

I don't have time to work on this one but there's something there. I told the Board I thought based on Fred Stephens and the current crisis, they should revisit the First AME decision.

Comments

Joanna said…
One major difference was speed with which MLK property was sold. University and Phinney Ridge were years in the deciding, if not decades. The speed really made it difficult for the community to comprehend the various intentions. I certainly hope we are way more alert and build barriers to ensure other school property is not sold, especially where there is a school building. If they can revisit the MLK decision they should do so.
Unknown said…
How can Michael DeBell say anything
this week with assuredness?

Seems a bit arrogant since he says
he didn't know anything relevant
about what has hit the fan.

His best bet might be to keep mum while he takes a long hard look at himself and his vote on MGJ's contract extension.
Worried Mad Valley parent said…
There WAS a REAL community group, made up of neighbors and businesses from Madison Valley. We were organized, had plans, and signed letters from potential renters. We were also misrepresented by the SPS's "team" to the School Board.

Worried Mad Valley parent
Observer said…
That would be the Citizens for a Community Center group, Worried Mad Parent? Didn't your bid come in over the First AME one, and weren't you planning on keeping the property in the public domain? I think you guys also filed an appeal, and have it rejected, if I am not mistaken.

I want to know who in SPS wrote the recommendation report and presented First AME to the Board. That was when the decision was actually made, and I would bet good money that Ron English had a hand in that recommendation.
Meg said…
The Eakes report characterized the culture of the Facilities Dept (and who really thinks that such a culture would be confined to a single department?) as one of fear, intimidation and reprisal.

Seen in that kind of light, it's hard to see the First AME decision as an open and honest one, particularly since it wasn't top bidder. The Citizens for a Community Center group wasn't the only group mis-represented - the Hamlin Robinson school, which serves students with dyslexia, was characterized as a "private school," which, yes, it is, but in a significantly different way than the Bush School.

That said, I don't think the board will revisit the decision.
Jan said…
Meg: I think you are right that the Board has NO intention to revisit the decision. DeBell's comments today certainly suggest not. But -- if the process was fraudulent (not saying it was, but I certainly could not conclude that it was not), it might be possible for one of the losing bidders to petition a court to void the sale and reopen the process.
Personally, I would have liked them to maximize the dollars. But if they weren't going to do that, I would have preferred the community plan to the AME one. Was there fraud? Hopefully not. We probably won't know unless someone like the Seattle Weekly or the Seattle Times takes it on.
Remembering said…
I remember Ron English's testimony. He was enthusiastic about selling MLK to AME. Something about inexpensive access to community members.

The other community group's cirriculum was developed, while AME's program was anemic.

Jewish community members complained, selling the property to a church wouldn't be comfortable for them.

The sale just didn't make sense. I couldn't understand why Ron English was making it sound like a good deal.

At the time, Debell remembered ideas related to selling MLK had gone on for years. For Debell, it was time to make a decision.
Paul said…
@Meg: " (and who really thinks that such a culture would be confined to a single department?)"

It certainly is not limited to one department. It is building wide. Good thing some managers have resigned (CC)since they always try to intimidate and bully their employees.

Hopefully someone will mention that at the meeting tomorrow night.
Observer said…
Ron English was the official point man on the School Use Advisory Committee (SUAC) as well. So he was the public SPS face for determining how the surplus space was to be used, and likely one of the key people who reviewed all the bids and recommended First AME to the board in the district recommendation papers, and he also testified enthusiastically about it.

I wonder if he was involved in surplusing the property as well.
Anonymous said…
MLK Advisory comittee meetings, membership and city staff listed attending on
pg.12,22,28

Sharon Tomiko-Santos appears pg.27 and Ron English statement on state funding requirements on p.36. See also pg.41

http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/mi/suac/mlk/mlk_final_report.pdf


Public School Parent

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