Centralia Youth Center Executive Director Herb Williams isn’t happy the city will not let Mission Centralia building a ramp at the front of the building to allow the center free of charge to become ADA compliant.
Williams expressed his frustration at Monday night’s Centralia City Council meeting. He noted the number of other improvements the youth center board has undertaken without cost to the city including a new gym floor, carpeting on the stage, and adding a kitchen.
“Ramping them in the front of the building will eliminate a lot of problems at no cost to the city of Centralia. It’s not gonna hurt the structure of the building, it’s not going to hurt anything with the building. It’s something that will improve the building.”
But City Manager Kory Smith is concerned about the liability such improvements could create. He explained why the ramp project was halted.
“It was of curiosity of liability and the possibility of working with non-labor union employees of the city of Centralia. At the time I asked you to put a pin in it and see if this is something we could work around and possibly work towards in the future. I am unaware of the ADA and I apologize and that’s no excuse for a City Manager.”
Smith says since the Youth Center is a city building the city needs to know about improvements being undertaken. He and Mayor Bryan Kuder both emphasized they want the youth center to be there in the future for the youth.
