Palmetto Youth Center board stands firm against commissioner’s call for director to resign

If Manatee County Commissioner Charles Smith expected to rally support around his call for Palmetto Youth Center Director Reggie Bellamy to resign, he’s not getting it.

The center’s board of directors reiterated its “unanimous” support of Bellamy in a press release Tuesday. Board member Lillie Covington confirmed the released statement, noting the board met recently and a vote was called.

“It was a unanimous vote of support,” Covington said.

Smith contends Bellamy is being pulled in too many directions given his employment as a student support specialist at Buffalo Creek Middle School, the head coach of the Palmetto High School basketball team and director of the youth center to give the center his full attention. Smith claims Bellamy is unable to focus on the center’s fundraising needs.

Board chair Kim Riker disagrees.

In the press release to county commissioners, Riker states that Bellamy works with numerous business and civic organizations “to establish a strong foundation for the youth of the community. Because of such collaboration, the funding procurement has increased significantly, allowing PYC to provide programs designated for academic, athletic, cultural, recreational and social activities.”

Riker cites several programs Bellamy has improved or implemented, including:

▪  Foundation for Excellence, a before- and after-school program that provides transportation to and from school and tutoring for academic excellence.

▪  Helping Young People Excel, an evening program for ages 13-18.

▪  Boys Life After School Training, a mentoring program on information technology.

▪  IT Girls, a mentoring program with a focus on teaching young girls computer coding.

Smith, who did not return a call for comment Tuesday, has made several claims that have been disputed. Smith contends the youth center lost its football program, but Riker’s letter states that Bellamy has led efforts in the past year to refurbish the football field and “implemented a new coaching policy to enhance the youth football program.” In fact, the team just received new uniforms and helmets this week.

Riker said Bellamy also has led the efforts for a new gym floor, expanding the game room, upgrading the computer lab, perimeter tree trimming, improving the air conditioning system, created an administrative office and had a new roof installed on the main facility.

“The PYC Board of Directors is proud of the accomplishments of the center under the leadership of Director Reggie Bellamy,” Riker wrote. “We unanimously give our vote of confidence for the work he is doing.”

Smith has said he will call for an internal audit of the center’s finances and ask that the youth center be placed on the Feb. 13 commission meeting for board discussion. The county agenda won’t be posted until Friday.

▪  Smith said he has been receiving complaints for a year from two PYC board members, whom he declined to identify, but Riker’s letter indicates Bellamy has the full confidence of the entire board.

▪  Smith contends he led the charge to ensure the center’s Teen Hype program would be funded this year during September’s budget hearings and that he made the motion to make it happen. Minutes of those meetings show it was Commissioner Carol Whitmore who raised the issue and made the motion.

Riker points out that Bellamy’s successful fundraising efforts have drawn the additional financial support of Mosaic, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, MLK Day of Service, the United Way and others.

Rumors surfaced that Smith’s actions were politically motivated because members of the community wanted Bellamy to run against him, a rumor that Smith vehemently denies.

Bellamy still isn’t talking, saying Tuesday, “I’m really not going to comment on this situation.”

How it all started

It all began with a letter to Bellamy in July that the Children’s Services Advisory Board recommended the Teen Hype program, which offers a variety of activities for teens at the center, not be funded for more than $114,000.

The advisory board scores several applications each year for nonprofit funding, and the Teen Hype program application was one of 10 that failed to score high enough. The application scored a 75.10 with 80 being the minimum for qualifying. But county staff explained that the scoring isn’t based on the merit of the program itself, rather than the application process. The process gives the commissioners the discretion to ignore the application scoring based on the importance of the program to its community.

That’s what led to Whitmore in September leading the way to override the advisory board’s recommendation and motioning that the program receive $114,000. Smith has said he supported Bellamy up until the July recommendation that the Teen Hype program not be funded. However, an email chain between Smith and county staff shows Smith did not begin looking for that letter until December. After receiving it, Smith called an impromptu press conference on Jan. 22 to demand Bellamy’s resignation.

Smith claims he was aware of the advisory board’s decision in July, but took no action to find the letter until December. He said he waited that long to find the letter because he didn’t trust that staff had actually sent it.

Reached by phone Tuesday, Riker said Smith’s actions have been hard to understand.

“He did reach out to us and asked to go over our finances and we told him to come to our March 12 meeting,” Riker said. “He said that wasn’t soon enough and he was going to the press. All I know is we did offer him a date. I reached out to him and I know Reggie reached out to him with a letter. I really can’t say what his interest is at this point, but I can say we didn’t hear anything from him until December and we reached out to him almost immediately.”

This story was originally published February 6, 2018 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Palmetto Youth Center board stands firm against commissioner’s call for director to resign."