St. Marcus Marches to Demand Acquisition of Malcolm X Building From MPS
August 17: 35 staff, students and supporters from St. Marcus Lutheran School marched from their campus at 2251 North Palmer to the Malcolm X school site at 2760 N 1st Street. There they held a prayer vigil.
Their demand? MPS should sell the building to St. Marcus even though the MPS board has been engaged in a planning process for the site for over a year.Is the urgency by St. Marcus due to the fact that the board is getting close to finalizing its proposal?
Following is a resolution that will be considered by the board this month.
ACTION ON A REQUEST TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 1314R-004 BY
DIRECTORS BONDS AND MILLER REGARDING A COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
Resolution 1314R-004
By Directors Bond and Miller
WHEREAS, MPS incurs costs for the maintenance and upkeep of its buildings, even when they are unused and vacant; and
WHEREAS, A vacant building, no matter how well maintained, is not only a wasted resource, but also a detriment to the neighborhood in which it is situated; and
WHEREAS, Administrative Policy 5.01(8)(e) states that vacated school buildings owned by the Board shall be used for other purposes, if economically feasible; and
WHEREAS, At its regular meeting on August 30, 2012, the Board, in response to Resolution 1213R-‐002 by Director Bonds, directed the Administration to develop the Community Partnership Shared Facilities Program, through which space in our vacant buildings is to be rented — for nominal fees, such as the cost of the utilities — to community-‐based organizations which would provide free services to MPS students and which are non-‐profit 501(c)3 organizations that have been in existence for five