— Administrators got the green light Tuesday to examine both short- and long-term solutions to structural problems exposed by droughts and earthquakes at the Martin Luther King Center.

The structure’s deteriorating condition was pushed to the front burner a week ago when Ivory Vann, a community activist, addressed the issue before the City Council. Officials said then they had visited the facility at one time or another. It was learned later steps were taken almost a year ago to make the repairs necessary to ensure public safety.

The extent and acceleration of the building’s decline during recent months, however, caught the attention of two city councilors — Randy Howard, Ward III, and Lee Ann Langston, Ward I — who took time to investigate the problem. Ward III Councilor Derrick Reed, who oversees the King Center’s after-school program and its other community outreach programs, already was aware of the problems.

 Parks and Recreation Director Mark Wilkerson told Public Works Committee members the city had been aware of the problems “for some time.” He said last year’s drought and a series of temblors that rocked the state during the autumn exacerbated structural problems that already existed.

“We didn’t think that (the earthquake) was the problem,” Wilkerson said. “But it turns out it was responsible for much of that damage — the earthquake caused more significant damage.”

That finding was included in an engineer’s report dated Feb. 10. In his report, Peter D. Smith of Tulsa-based B&T Engineering, states while part of the cracking seen in exterior and interior concrete block walls is due to small foundation movements, “most of the damage at the MLK Center was caused by seismic movement last fall.”

In response to the report, city councilors approved spending this year up to $45,000 for repairs at the King Center. Since his visit this past week, Howard said that money should be used as an investment toward a new building.

“I am thoroughly against putting money into that building — it needs to be torn down and rebuilt, and moving it is not an option,” Howard said, acknowledging the critical role the King Center serves in the community. “I think it’s time we invest in our community, and the Martin Luther King Center ought to be at the top of our list.”

Ward IV Councilor Kenny Payne agreed, saying the $45,000 budgeted for repairs is “a lot of money to throw at something that might last only a couple years.” Payne said it might be wiser to put that money toward a new building.

City Manager Greg Buckley said steps will be taken to ensure public safety in the short-term and begin looking at what a new building might cost. If city councilors decide to build a new facility, Buckley said a funding source would have to be identified.

Some have considered applying for City of Muskogee Foundation grant to provide all or part of that money. D.J. Thompson, the foundation’s grants manager, said that would be something the charitable organization would consider as part of its regular grant cycle.

“We fund programs over there — Derrick (Reed) is certainly doing a great job with those programs — and we are definitely supportive of their efforts,” Thompson said. “If they bring something to us, we would definitely look at it.”

In the meantime, efforts will continue to address short-term concerns. Those efforts will include further inquiries regarding  options that might be available for foundation support.

Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot

@muskogeephoenix.com.