CLAYTON — The ӣƵ County Council is considering a plan to buy a shuttered Catholic school in North County and help turn it into a focal point of community policing. But some county officials warned on Friday that the budget, already in the red, can’t support a new project.
Trinity Catholic High School in Spanish Lake closed after the 2021 school year because of low enrollment. The county’s Police Athletic League, a nonprofit organization operated by county police officers, identified the school as a possible headquarters for its programs in North County. The organization provides coaching in sports and chess, tutoring, computers, hot meals and even sports physicals for children and teens who might otherwise not have the same opportunities.
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“All of those things don’t get done if we don’t have our own facility,” said Skip Cox, a retired ӣƵ County police officer who volunteers with the league. “We draw the kids in through sports and activities, but that’s on the surface. It’s really about breaking down barriers with the kids, and then breaking down barriers with parents and the community.”
Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, who sits on the league’s board, proposed using $2.5 million in federal pandemic relief money to buy and repair the more than 50-year-old property. But the building, which is listed at $1.8 million, needs at least “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in repair, not to mention the cost of maintaining the property, said Stephanie Leon Streeter, acting director of the county Department of Transportation and Public Works. The department is responsible for vetting, buying and maintaining county properties.
“We are woefully underfunded and understaffed to take on anything of this magnitude,” Streeter said. “That does not mean what you’re proposing does not have value. I’m not speaking to value at all. I’m speaking to the actual real issue with maintaining a property in perpetuity.”
The county faces a $41 million budget deficit for next year, a hole that could lead to service cuts and property tax increases.
“Given the state of the county’s budget right now, it is extra hard to make the case that we should be acquiring any new property and all that that entails,” said Councilwoman Lisa Clancy.
Leasing unused space to other organizations could help pay for regular maintenance, Webb said, and private donors could help pay for renovations not covered by the pandemic relief money. Those donors, she said, have not yet provided the money because they’re awaiting details.
Streeter said her department didn’t know about the proposal prior to Friday’s meeting and hasn’t studied it. As with any other building acquisition, the department would have to see if the old school would be a good fit for the league’s programs, if there are more suitable properties, and how much it would cost to maintain.
Webb said she expected that process to happen if the council approves purchasing the building.
Clancy asked if the county could purchase the building but give ownership to the nonprofit, which would be in charge of maintaining the building. Webb said that option is on the table.
Councilman Ernie Trakas said it was a conflict of interest for Webb to push for the project because she’s a member of the nonprofit’s board. Webb said she has the right to serve on the board, a volunteer position, under county ordinance.
The ӣƵ Archdiocese says it must close churches in the area in order to meet the needs of a changing congregation of Roman Catholics.