Reject violations of city agreement with Next

We are led to believe that Birmingham officials and members of the city commission are nearing an end to work on a lease with the Next senior citizen group for the building at 400 E. Lincoln, the new home for this non-profit group which for decades has provided services and programs directed at the senior (50+) population in the city and neighboring communities. Our concern, however, is the rumor that some members of the city commission may be attempting to introduce a proposal that would claim part of this building for use by other members of the community, reminiscent of the mess of the past couple of years when officials lost focus on what voters said when they approved a millage for the new home for Next.

Just as some quick background, former city manager Tom Markus spent his last year and longer, when he returned to Birmingham, searching for a replacement home for Next, which come 2027 will be losing its space at the Midvale school which the Birmingham School District generously provided for Next because it serves residents of Birmingham and a few neighboring communities, all of which are part of the Birmingham Schools territory.

Markus, and Next Executive Director Cris Braun, individually and together, scoured the Birmingham area for possible commercial and other possible spaces as the new home for the senior non-profit. Finding nothing available, Markus recommended the city purchase the YMCA building at 400 E. Lincoln because the Y was leaving the city. The city paid $2 million for the building, with Next contributing a half million dollars to complete the deal. Agreements, approved by the city commission, were executed.

Voters were asked and gladly approved a three-year millage – worth about $3.5 million – to fix up the existing building for use primarily by Next. In fact, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in May of 2023 was entered into by the city and Next.

In case anyone has forgotten the details of the MOU, the legal agreement provides that “Next will lease approximately seventy-five (75%) or more of the square footage.”

In complete contradiction of the MOU, city officials spent over two years attempting to delve into a proposal that would have turned the E. Lincoln building into a community center, then the efforts shifted and the city considered building a new center at the site with a price tag of $30 million and most likely more, paid off by taxpayers over 20-25 years. A prime example of wasted time and considerable taxpayer funds.

Commissioners finally, last October, came to their senses and refocused their attention on a new home for Next, with incremental changes and improvements to the building, much like the library board has done over the last several years with the Baldwin Public Library.

But now we hear that special interests in the city and on the commission may want to make one last attempt to alter the plan for the Next home. Unconfirmed information we have is that some special interests will make an attempt to keep the pool in the basement level still operating. Then we have heard that others may want to install a basketball court for use by community members. The faulty logic we hear is that Next won’t be using the lower level of the building when they first move in, so why not put it to use.

Sorry. We say to the special interests (including some rogue members of the commission who may personally use the very aged pool) and political gadflies who cannot let this project proceed as it should – no one expected the lower level of the building to be transformed on day one. The game plan was to rehab and improve the first floor for use by Next, and then determine how that group wants to use the lower level. When the building was first purchased, plans called for the pool to be filled in, and then changes could be made on an incremental basis.

Let’s remember that the city asked taxpayers to support a millage to convert the E. Lincoln building into a home for Next. Taxpayers responded and approved a three-year millage to do just that. Now it is time the city lived up to what it said would happen with the taxes. Someone from either the city or the commission needs to show some leadership before this situation gets out of control once again. Stop focusing on special interests and prioritize the community's seniors. Move ahead with preparing the building for Next and reject proposals to do anything that violates the MOU agreement from 2023.