NEWTON COUNTY — At the Feb. 18 Newton County Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting, the future of the Nelson Heights Community Center (NHCC) was one of the most discussed agenda items, with nearly an hour of deliberation.

The NHCC was once a place for local youth to spend time learning and playing while out of school. In recent years, the site has fallen into disrepair and become the location of less-than-savory pastimes.

After changing management and becoming somewhat dilapidated over time, the BOC will undertake a comprehensive $1 million renovation of the site. The board voted 4-1 for the project to progress with a 60-day plan to determine some operational measures for the facility.

Commissioner J.C. Henderson (District 4), previously helped operate the NHCC on lease from the county as part of Nelson Heights Community Services. With Henderson’s own interest in the property, in addition to the site’s location inside District 4, the commissioner was excited about the updates. 

“Until we start having programs in our community that will draw out kids, help keep our kids off the streets, our jails and institutions will continue to be full,” Henderson said.

Project Manager Jeff Prine believes that, with the exception of reshingling the roof, they will be able to accomplish everything that the site needs using $808,200.

Pending the BOC’s go-ahead, the NHCC could be open as soon as July with upgrades including paving/striping the parking lot, security cameras, a splash pad, a computer lab with Chromebooks, a kitchen renovation and much more.

Though the commissioners all seemed to agree that the improvements to the NHCC were necessary, some disagreed on how the upgrades should progress. 

District 5 Commissioner LeAnne Long raised concerns over the costs of the upgrades. With a career in real estate, Long found some of the county’s proposals for the NHCC too expensive.

“What in the world are we doing to that kitchen for $70,000?” Long asked. 

Prine stated that the kitchen estimate included surface renovations as well as new appliances that must be up to standard with a multitude of fire and safety code requirements since it is a government-owned building.

District 3 Commissioner Stephanie Lindsey also raised some of her own qualms with the plans, but her issues were not with the price of the project. Rather, she said that the board needed a more detailed plan for the facility. 

“I think that sometimes in some of the things we do at Nelson Heights Community Center…we put the cart before the horse,” Lindsey said. “How much discussion has been placed in the budget items as it relates to what the purpose is of the building? Because I think that that needs to be ascertained because it’s all over the place. 

“What is the purpose for the building? If the purpose of the building is to provide services to the Nelson Heights community, what services are we talking about providing? Are we talking about providing an afterschool care program, a program for teenagers, a program for seniors — and is that going to be the focus?”

Linsdey additionally questioned who would be present on site to monitor the computer lab, and whether a splash pad that costs over $100,000 would align with helping children’s learning, literacy and keep them off the streets. 

Long later agreed that the management was unclear, proposing that the site would essentially need permanent staffing so that someone could be responsible for onside equipment, safety and upkeep. District 1 Commissioner Stan Edwards also said that his understanding was that there would be a tenant onsite to take care of the building.

Prine said that the site will partly serve as a park with onsite outdoor entertainment activities. But he explained that the building itself would be multipurpose, available to rent for community gatherings, but that the primary function of the building would be the educational after school programs for children.

Henderson did not take kindly to the idea that any future development at the NHCC could be stalled by continual questions and uncertainties. 

“This board closed down Nelson Heights,” Henderson said. “So now we’ve got this park, then you come in with all kinds of excuses to say ‘Well, this is why we want to keep it closed.’ So stop punishing those people … you’re getting exactly what you asked for and now that you’ve got it, you’re acting like you don’t want it.”

But Lindsey reiterated that she is an advocate for putting the NHCC back in action, so long as it is done in a way that leads to productivity and real effects in the community.

“I want this center to be what it is intended to be,” Lindsey said. “If that takes $2 million, it doesn’t matter if it’s pouring into kids and it’s going to be producing what we wanted to produce, I’m all for it.”

Linsdey said that in the past, she called the NHCC “mismanaged,” but wants to move forward with Henderson. She elaborated that the NHCC needs to have management that would be clear, transparent and accountable, particularly when undergoing audits or if money management is under question. 

This comment did not seem to sit well with Henderson, who previously underwent scrutiny of his management of the NHCC when he operated the site via the nonprofit Nelson Heights Community Services. 

A 2016 audit alleged that Henderson illegally benefitted off the facility in excess of $42,000. An FBI investigation found no criminal wrongdoing.

In 2022, the nonprofit was once again under scrutiny when a $450 check that paid for three kids’ recreation fees was rumored to have come from county funding. 

Eventually, in 2023, the BOC chose to withhold $38,800 of funding from the NHCC, requesting an audit. The audit reportedly found discrepancies, but at an August 2023 meeting, Henderson’s son and acting-CEO of Nelson Heights Community Services City Councilman Anthony Henderson, told the board the discrepancies found were “minor.” 

Days later, it came to the board’s attention that the community center was under sublease to Dominion Leadership Academy, whose owner said they had been paying the nonprofit $2,000 a month to use the site.

Soon after, the BOC terminated the lease between themselves and Nelson Heights Community Services at the request of the District 4 commissioner.

Henderson appeared to be making inaudible comments as Lindsey spoke about financial transparency at the community center. This led to Chairman Marcello Banes intervening, asking the commissioners to stop speaking “back and forth” before allowing Henderson to respond. 

Henderson said if he had done something wrong, he would have gone to jail. 

“There was a conspiracy against myself and Nelson Heights because the auditor – Mr. Sanchez – was somebody y’all chose,” Henderson said. “It wasn’t somebody we picked up. Y’all chose him. And y’all gave him a narrative to go out and find stuff…So stop lying on us, and stop lying on this community… If you think it was ran wrong, run it right. But you haven’t done that!

Ultimately, Henderson made a motion to move the project along as stated. 

This was followed by a substitute motion from Lindsey, who added a stipulation that 60 days be set to determine a detailed plan for the community center, including operation, money allocation, bill responsibility and an accountability setup for the operators. This was seconded by Edwards.

Henderson followed up with a third motion to additionally include more input from community members as to what changes they want in the NHCC.

This motion failed, but Lindsey reiterated that, although her motion did not specifically outline a requirement to include more community input, it in no way meant that community input should be excluded from future planning.

Henderson seemed frustrated by his motion’s failure, saying that in none of the other four districts would development progress like this without requiring community input.

District 2 Commissioner Demond Mason said that the managers of the project have the “autonomy” to have conversations with the people who live within the area without it having to be a stated requirement to fulfill in the motion because that stipulation could potentially prolong the progression of the project. 

“I don’t want it to be stated from this board that the community has no feedback at all because that is inaccurate information,” Mason said.

Ultimately, Lindsey’s motion passed 4-1, with Henderson voting against.