Article VI, Vol 1 Published on 5/27/2011
The Community Center is moving on without citizen's input
Bailey's Community Center (BCC) was the place to go after school and work for citizens in the community from 1979 until about 2 years ago. Now, the citizens, for the most part, just stay away. You may walk in the center and see a list of all the activities that are scheduled. But when you go there to attend the activity you will see that it never existed or it just petered out.
There are activities going on, but considering the size of this community, there should be a lot more activities and citizen participation.
Volunteers are not always welcome. I had 10 volunteers, educated and qualified to teach and coach youth basketball, and we were denied an opportunity to use the gym to organize teams to participate in the county league. This rejection occurred despite the fact we had participated in the league for over 22 years. (more about this matter later)
I can speak about BCC because I spent more than 25 years as a volunteer who organized programs and activitities. I served as the president and chairman of the center's advisory board and performed many, many, functions. I am not a disgruntled employee or worker because I have plenty to do as a volunteer in other activities and a member of the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League (FCYBL).
For the purpose of this alert I just want to name 7 things that I do not understand about BCC. These comments are offered based on my belief or knowledge that they are true:
(1). Why did we go from 7 teams in the county league in 2009 to zero in the 2010 and 2011 seasons.(two years)? The center director said that he was in charge, and he appointed the assistant director to be the assistant commissioner in the 2010 season. I managed to get one team organized and they played one game and I was told by the center director that they could not play in the league. So, they were yanked from the league.Therefore, children in the Bailey's community, had a gym and teams from all over the county used the gym for league games and the Bailey Crossroads kids were just spectators on Saturdays for the whole basketball seasons. (2) Why were the youths told that they could not play basketball on Friday nights or after school because they did not attend a dance spearheaded by the director?. He should have known that the Muslim kids generally did not participate in dances. The director had security, lots of food and about 5 children to show up. The Muslim community was upset. (3) Why did the director request or allow a cinder block to be put in the wall in the gym, where the sound system goes?. We offered to donate the $100 piece of equipment to fix the system but we were rejected. (4) Why did the director pay over $3,000 for four (4) basketball teams in the FCYBL when he knew or should have known that he did not have a single team organized . (5) Why does the director control funds designated for the advisory board to spend for youth programs without consultation with the Chairman of the board? (6) Why did the director send Merit Employees out to collect money in the community for a program sponsored by a private group (7) Why does the director have a seven hour work day. (10:a.m.to 5:pm)? I was told that the director takes his lunch hour at the end of the work day. I just do not understand how that works.
I plan to use the seven points listed as my talking points when I meet with county officials on behalf of the youths and adults in the community concerning activities at Bailey's Community Center
The young adults and parents in the community need to become organized and active in the operation and programs that are conducted at the center. This task can be achieved by organizing an Advisory Board that represent the community. The late Mr Walter Hawkins worked with the advisory board and community and we were able to accomplish a lot for the youths and adults. Now it is different. The citizens need to understand that the director works for the community and he is not a dictator. Other communities in the county appear to have effective advisory boards. Why not the Bailey's Crossroads community?
For more current news and condition of the center, visit http://www.bxrcc.blogspot.com/
Copyright 2011. Grady E. Bryant, Sr. All Rights Reserved
The Community Center is moving on without citizen's input
Bailey's Community Center (BCC) was the place to go after school and work for citizens in the community from 1979 until about 2 years ago. Now, the citizens, for the most part, just stay away. You may walk in the center and see a list of all the activities that are scheduled. But when you go there to attend the activity you will see that it never existed or it just petered out.
There are activities going on, but considering the size of this community, there should be a lot more activities and citizen participation.
Volunteers are not always welcome. I had 10 volunteers, educated and qualified to teach and coach youth basketball, and we were denied an opportunity to use the gym to organize teams to participate in the county league. This rejection occurred despite the fact we had participated in the league for over 22 years. (more about this matter later)
I can speak about BCC because I spent more than 25 years as a volunteer who organized programs and activitities. I served as the president and chairman of the center's advisory board and performed many, many, functions. I am not a disgruntled employee or worker because I have plenty to do as a volunteer in other activities and a member of the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League (FCYBL).
For the purpose of this alert I just want to name 7 things that I do not understand about BCC. These comments are offered based on my belief or knowledge that they are true:
(1). Why did we go from 7 teams in the county league in 2009 to zero in the 2010 and 2011 seasons.(two years)? The center director said that he was in charge, and he appointed the assistant director to be the assistant commissioner in the 2010 season. I managed to get one team organized and they played one game and I was told by the center director that they could not play in the league. So, they were yanked from the league.Therefore, children in the Bailey's community, had a gym and teams from all over the county used the gym for league games and the Bailey Crossroads kids were just spectators on Saturdays for the whole basketball seasons. (2) Why were the youths told that they could not play basketball on Friday nights or after school because they did not attend a dance spearheaded by the director?. He should have known that the Muslim kids generally did not participate in dances. The director had security, lots of food and about 5 children to show up. The Muslim community was upset. (3) Why did the director request or allow a cinder block to be put in the wall in the gym, where the sound system goes?. We offered to donate the $100 piece of equipment to fix the system but we were rejected. (4) Why did the director pay over $3,000 for four (4) basketball teams in the FCYBL when he knew or should have known that he did not have a single team organized . (5) Why does the director control funds designated for the advisory board to spend for youth programs without consultation with the Chairman of the board? (6) Why did the director send Merit Employees out to collect money in the community for a program sponsored by a private group (7) Why does the director have a seven hour work day. (10:a.m.to 5:pm)? I was told that the director takes his lunch hour at the end of the work day. I just do not understand how that works.
I plan to use the seven points listed as my talking points when I meet with county officials on behalf of the youths and adults in the community concerning activities at Bailey's Community Center
The young adults and parents in the community need to become organized and active in the operation and programs that are conducted at the center. This task can be achieved by organizing an Advisory Board that represent the community. The late Mr Walter Hawkins worked with the advisory board and community and we were able to accomplish a lot for the youths and adults. Now it is different. The citizens need to understand that the director works for the community and he is not a dictator. Other communities in the county appear to have effective advisory boards. Why not the Bailey's Crossroads community?
For more current news and condition of the center, visit http://www.bxrcc.blogspot.com/
Copyright 2011. Grady E. Bryant, Sr. All Rights Reserved
