WATCH: MLK Park Bathrooms Approved But NAACP President Says Vandalism Clause is 'Discriminatory'

SAN ANGELO – The San Angelo City Council approved a Memorandum Of Understanding with the San Angelo Area Foundation Tuesday to construct bathrooms at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in San Angelo but not without some controversy.  

As we reported earlier, the San Angelo Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) had requested the city build bathrooms in MLK Park on MLK Blvd. near 23rd St.  The neighborhood park had bathrooms decades ago which fell into disrepair and were removed.  Currently, MLK Park has portable restrooms but those were destroyed by fire before easter according to comments from the public at the City Council meeting Tuesday.  

In reference to possible vandalism, in a separate measure the city has detailed some precautions including using material that graffiti can be removed from. And they are also looking to deter vandalism through punishment.

"Should fixtures or hardware be damaged on/at the restroom, the community will provide the funding for the needed replacement parts," stated the document. "Repeat offenses will result in shortened opening times and longer periods of closure. For instance, two occurrences of vandalism in one month will result in the restrooms locking at 8 pm and opening at 8 am as well as closure for an additional 2 days. Gross vandalism or three occurrences of vandalism in one month will result in the restrooms going offline for a full week, as well as shortened opening times."

Several residents spoke in strong opposition to the vandalism wording saying basically that they raised the money for the restrooms and the restrooms will belong to the city and the cost for repairs would fall on city taxpayers.   The agreement already allocates $12,000 annually in maintenance and operations from the city but the vandalism clause would require the NAACP to pay for any fixtures that get damaged.  

Ultimately, the council voted 5 to 0 to approve the MOU with the San Angelo Area Foundation to construct the bathrooms in MLK Park for $250,000 which was raised by the NAACP.  The council instructed staff to return to council at a later date with a plan to pay for vandalism of the new restrooms.  

City Manager Daniel Valenzuela told the council that any action by the council on vandalism at MLK Park would apply to all parks in the city where private entities raise funds to construct bathrooms.  There are currently 17 parks in San Angelo without permanent bathrooms.  

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