Return to original plan

Prior to my retirement as Birmingham‘s city manager, we established a clear, strategic plan to address the critical gap in sustainable senior services funding. This plan is now being abandoned at great cost to our senior community.

THE FACTS: Next has served as Birmingham‘s trusted senior service provider for over 45 years, delivering comprehensive services at minimal cost to the city. Building space for Next has been provided by the Birmingham public school district (BPS) starting several years ago. BPS wisely collaborated with BASCC (now Next) to provide a home for Next. Under the guise of lifelong learning BPS and Next were benefited. BPS gained a supportive relationship with Next through senior voter support of bond issues and Next found a semi-permanent home albeit without a lease.

The school administration and board have decided they need to reclaim the space and have established a deadline for Next to move out. Financing through the Birmingham school district was a more equitable financial approach as BPS’s taxing jurisdiction includes our neighboring communities that also receive Next services.

In July 2022 the city wisely recognized the need for Next to secure a permanent home. After a thorough evaluation of available properties, the YMCA building was identified as the optimal solution. On June 5, 2023, the commission unanimously approved: 1. The purchase of 400 E. Lincoln specifically for Next; 2. Memorandum of understanding with Next for occupancy; 3. An Interim use plan provided about a third of the space for the YMCA to maintain a presence while the YMCA pursued an effort to combine the Royal Oak and Birmingham YMCA‘s space in a new or expanded/rehabilitated YMCA space in Royal Oak; 4. The .33 senior mileage for the November ballot; and 5. The transition plan for Next.

CRITICAL CONCERNS: 1. The building size cannot adequately support both organizations; 2. The limited parking will create constant problems and disrupt the surrounding neighborhood; 3. The city never intended to share this building with the YMCA, except for a limited amount of space and time period. Initially, the YMCA building was purchased to house Next, not as a community center; 4. For over two years, the city has bent over backwards, trying to accommodate the YMCA’s extensive amenity demands. This approach is clearly failing and is just too expensive; 5. The current economic climate would suggest a $37 million bond issue will stand a very slim chance of approval by the electorate.

THE SOLUTION: The YMCA has a viable alternative at the Royal Oak branch just four miles away. Next has no such option. In fact, the clock is ticking on Next as they are expected to vacate the BPS school location.

With Birmingham‘s rapidly growing senior population and Next’s proven 45-year track record of high quality, cost efficient services, we must refocus on our original mission, addressing Birmingham‘s most significant service gap – senior care. It is also appropriate to mention the significant financial contribution by Next ($700 thousand +/-) to the city for this project.

I strongly urge you to abandon this flawed attempt to create a new facility that serves everyone poorly, and instead honor your unanimous commitment to properly support our seniors by following the terms of the memorandum of understanding between the city and Next.

In conclusion, as the Dakota proverb suggests “When you find you are riding upon a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.“

Thomas M. Markus

(Thomas Markus, a senior citizen, served a total of over 24 years as Birmingham’s City Manager)