Wynn, Committee Still at Odds

A 90-day report by the new Recreation Advisory Committee Monday revealed essentially the same impasse that led to its creation: a stand-off between Recreation Superintendent Dave Wynn and youth sports volunteers.

A scheduled 10-minute discussion with the City Council Monday took much longer as details emerged, such as an allegation that Wynn forbade committee members from sending e-mails to any city officials other than himself.

“It speaks to a lack of transparency,” said committee chairman Dwayne Wilkins.

The committee was formed after parents and coaches of the volunteer Queen City Baseball League alleged they were locked out of a municipal ball field, had lights turned off in the middle of a game and were otherwise mistreated by Wynn, who had formed a city league with paid staff. Council business was held up at many meetings while the volunteers poured out their frustrations.

Wilkins said Monday the committee held six meetings and came up with four “action items,” but Wynn only came to one meeting. Wynn also claimed conflicts on short notice to skip another meeting with Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and committee members, he said.

Wilkins said the committee conducted a facilities review, proposed having youth sports information online and wanted an organized outreach to small businesses for support, but a project designed to get a baseline on current sports offerings fell through for lack of feedback from Wynn’s office. The group, composed largely of men with professional skills, is now at the “point of general frustration,” Wilkins said, asking for council help to get the needed feedback.

Council President Annie McWilliams praised the report and the commitment of the group, saying, “We can never have enough volunteers in the city.”

The council then discussed re-establishing the group as a commission, which would have broad planning functions for recreation. McWilliams asked Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson to draft an ordinance on the change for a vote at next Monday’s business meeting and also requested that Wynn attend.

David G. Brown II, the city’s new director of Public Works & Urban Development , asked for thirty days to work on the problems within the Recreation Division, which reports to him. But McWilliams said she still wanted the ordinance.

Councilman Adrian Mapp, who previously suggested de-funding the division, called Monday for a new title, “recreation coordinator," to work with the proposed commission.

Councilwoman Linda Carter, who chairs the council’s City and Neighborhood Services committee, said she will be meeting with Wynn and the mayor on the immediate issues.

“I want this to work,” she said.

Wilkins said his group just wants to carry out its mission.

“We really want to be neutral,” he said. “I don’t care about sides, I care about kids.”

--Bernice Paglia