City Council hears presentation about community center

Mohamod Youssef of P-Square Solutions delivers a presentation during last week's City Council Meeting. Photo by Junious Smith III / Neuse News

Last week, the Kinston City Council heard a presentation from Mohamod Youssef of P-Square Solutions about managing the newly-renamed Kinston Community Center -- formerly the Woodmen Community Center.

“It would be a shame to see it eventually close — maybe not next year or five years from now — then see it torn down and they sell the land," Youssef said. "We don't want to own the building or the land, just manage the processing side of it. We can do that to where the city's relieved of obligation — financial and legal — and they can get some money. The city wins, the community wins and local businesses win, which is how it has to be.

"I want the community to feel like they can go into that place and it's something they can be proud of. It's a nice building; it just hasn't been managed properly."

Kinston Mayor Pro Tem Felicia Solomon said she liked the dialogue brought up from Youssef.

"I appreciated the presentation from P-Square Solutions about their willingness to come in and have conversation about developing a strong strategic plan in order to help sustain and grow the (Kinston) Community Center,” Solomon said.

Kinston City Manager Tony Sears said Youssef brought strong concepts, but there's a long process to take before enacting any measures.

"Mr. Youssef raised some great points, points we are aware of," Sears said. "We're trying to get a proposal from the Business School of UNC, including many things in (Mr. Youssef's) proposal. These are preliminary discussions and we are currently in the summer season at the water park. We want to make it through the season without disruption or confusion with the water park.

"We do hope to have many items addressed or plan to before the beginning of the new year."

Also at last week's meeting, Kinston City Councilman Sammy Aiken was reappointed to the Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority's Board of Directors for his third three-year term and Mayor Don Hardy was appointed to the N.C. Global TransPark Board of Directors for a three-year term, his first with the organization.

“It keeps us engaged and locked into what’s going on at the GTP, and I’m looking forward to the continued forward progress,” Hardy said.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 3.