Visitors to the Wilmington Hicks Anderson Community Center have to undergo a security check to enter the building, but that could soon change if Mayor Mike Purzycki gets his way.
The parks and recreation department proposed the elimination of the center's security guard at a budget hearing Wednesday night. The center would instead rely on increased police patrols in the neighborhood. There would be a police officer stationed at the center, but they would not use a metal detection wand.
"The mayor has said the center needs to have a better feel to it when you walk into it," said Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Kelley. "The entrance is not as inviting as it should be."
The money saved from the security guard's elimination would be used to hire a maintenance contractor, according to Kelley.
"We believe with the right entranceway and right staffing and so forth that the security guard would not be necessary," Kelley said.
Some council members expressed concern. They said security checks are necessary in West Center City. The neighborhood has struggled for years with its high violent crime rate, although there hasn't been a shooting in the area since November.
"I think you’d need someone there to check if someone is bringing weapons in," said Councilwoman Zanthia Oliver. "I wouldn’t think you’d want people to just walk in that community center with that population."
Kelley said many other community centers in the city do not require visitors to be subject to a metal detector.
"They don't have that population," Oliver responded. "I won’t be going over there if nobody is checking, just to let you know."
Councilman Vash Turner, who represents the district encompassing the center, also opposed the proposal.
"Are you and the mayor willing to put your job on the line if an incident happens without these security measures?" he asked.
Kelley answered: "I’m willing to try to move the perception of the center from one that isn’t as engaging as it should be with the community to try to make it open and change the perception."
Turner asked for the input of Hicks Anderson Director U'Gundi Jacobs, who was sitting in the council chambers.
Finance Chairman Bud Freel asked Kelley if he was OK allowing Jacobs to speak, and Kelley deferred to Freel to make that decision before the mayor's chief of staff jumped in.
"We can explore getting a security guard in the center if it’s necessary," Tanya Washington said. "We can switch around some resources to do that."
Turner said he still wanted to hear from Jacobs.
"Haven’t you already spoken to the director?" Freel asked. "You don’t know what he’s going to say?"
Turner said no, and Freel ultimately called Jacobs forward.
"Are you comfortable with people coming in the center without being wanded?" Turner asked the director.
"No, I am not," said Jacobs, who was then dismissed.
Freel said disagreements should be communicated outside of public hearings.
"I would appreciate if you all would just have another discussion about it outside of a meeting and discuss what’s best for the community and employees," he said.
Turner said discussions about taxpayer-funded entities should be conducted openly "so we all have input."
Councilman Trippi Congo said the stalling from Freel, Kelley and Washington "offended" him and that Freel was "totally out of line."
"All (Turner) wanted was to get the opinion of the director and for him to have to go through three people to get the opinion of the director was disrespectful in my opinion," Congo said.
Inquiries to Kelley and John Rago, the mayor's deputy chief of staff for policy and communications, for details about the new security plan were not returned.
Contact Christina Jedra at (302) 324-2837, cjedra@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @ChristinaJedra.