MLK Center awaits paper work completion before re-opening

The Martin Luther King Center in Long Beach, closed for over a week because of a faulty fire alarm system and the lack of a new health department permit, was to open in a day or two, according to the center's attorney. But maybe not so fast: the center needs an okay from the Nassau County Department of Health. The county Fire Marshall has given it a green light, but the city's building and fire commissioner must sign off.

The center serves meals to about 350 low-income people every day.

But the center's regular routine of workers cooking inside the building on Riverside Boulevard came to an abrupt halt last Wednesday when Long Beach changed the locks on the doors of the center after, officials said, people continued to come for meals and other activities, even though the Nassau County Fire Mashall's office had declared the building closed. The fire alarm system was not working, and earlier last week, the Fire Marshall's office inspected and said it must be fixed before the building could be occupied again.

Since then, the center has been providing meals through donations of food. On Monday and Tuesday, Long Beach delivered 100 Grab and Go bags of food.

Mary Ellen Laurain, a spokeswoman for the county Health Department, said Tuesday the center's permit had expired in December and must be renewed before the building can be re-opened to prepare food.

She said the department had sent the center paperwork to fill out and was waiting for it to be returned.

Laurain said the center would not be penalized for operating without a permit, but added: "They have to be in compliance."

"The shutdown of the building caused a lot of concern," said Fred Brewington, a well-known Long Island civil-rights leader.

Brewington said "over the weekend, there was a lot of back and forth" between MLK and Long Beach officials over how to resolve the situation. He said he expected the building to be re-opened "in the next day or two."

The City of Long Beach has permitted the center to serve food Friday in the parking lot of the building on Riverside Boulevard, according to John McNally, executive assistant to the City Manager. The city's permission to serve the food was part of an agreement struck last Friday morning after Long Beach and MLK officials met at City Hall.

James Hodge, chairman of the MLK Center, went on Facebook Thursday to alert residents to the closing of the building and that some 300 people would not receive food. He appealed to the city to re-open the center. Hodge remained on Facebook during the day, interviewing residents who had come for food.

Hodge did not return calls Tuesday. But on Facebook Saturday night, he said all sides are meeting to re-open the facility.

Michael Uttaro, an assistant chief in the fire marshall's office, said the faulty alarm has been repaired, but Long Beach City building and fire commissioner Scott Kemins must give the final okay on re-occupying the building. Kemins could not be reached Tuesday.

Brewington said on Tuesday "My expectation is that today will be a wonderful day for the future of the center."