Another meeting was held to discuss the possible construction of a new community center on Wednesday, March 14. The purpose of the work session— which included members of the community center steering committee, county commissioners and School District 166 board members—was to seriously discuss the possibility of attaching a community center facility to the west end of the Grand Marais school building.
The meeting started with Community Center Director Diane Booth giving the school board a brief history of the community center planning to date—starting with the 1998 governor’s design team planning, through the 2005 Community Center Revitalization Committee’s work to the latest steering committee’s work, which began in June 2010. Booth shared summaries of the six options for locations and layouts for a new community center, detailing pros and cons of each site. Booth said, “If you don’t think we’ve thought about this—we have.”
Sporn told the school board and commissioners that the joint meeting was called because of feedback from the public. “We’ve heard from the community—let’s not make this too big; let’s use existing facilities.”
More discussion with YMCA
Chris Francis, CEO of the Duluth YMCA, was at the meeting and he gave an overview of how the YMCA would work with Cook County. Concern was expressed about how community education could be changed if this partnership was formed.
School Board Member Terry Collins said, “We’re talking as if community education is static. It’s not. Things will change with or without YMCA funding. The YMCA could provide some stability.”
Steering Committee Board Member Bob Fenwick concurred, noting that outside management could make it easier for the county and school district to work together.
Paul Sporn, chair of the steering committee, asked if there data on school test scores in communities that have YMCA interaction. Francis said, “Absolutely, kids in our mentor programs see an average of 70 percent increase in math and reading scores.”
Commissioner Sue Hakes said originally connecting the community center to the school was ruled out because of security concerns. She asked Francis how the YMCA would address that. Francis said there could be a physical barrier with an intercom system. He said at the Duluth YMCA there are security cameras, secured areas, a front desk overseeing the facility and employees making rounds. Something similar, on a smaller scale, could be established for a Cook County facility.
Stan Tull, an interested community member, said he had looked at the rates on the YMCA website. He asked, “If we were part of the Duluth Y right now, would we be charged the rates on your website?”
Francis said no. “Each Y is different. With fewer amenities, the rate would be less.”
School District 166 Superintendent Beth Schwarz asked what the YMCA does if a family couldn’t afford the rates. Francis said the YMCA provides subsidies and offers scholarships. However, he said, no one is 100 percent funded. He said if some sort of fee—as little as a few dollars a month— is charged, more ownership is felt by members.
ISD 166 Maintenance Director Mike Groth asked how hiring for staff at the YMCA would be handled. He asked if locals would be hired or if the YMCA would bring people into the community. Francis said it could be both. He said the YMCA picks the best person for the job. Collins added, “I’d be very reluctant to replace good paying union jobs with jobs that would pay less. I’d like some information on the Y’s labor policies.”
School Board Member Jeanne Anderson, also a steering committee member, asked about the make-up of a local YMCA board. Francis said there is typically a 10-member board that helps steer the operations of the community center.
School Board Member Mary Sanders said the school’s fitness center, operated by community education, has been losing money. Superintendent Schwarz said, “If the Y took over the fitness center, it would no longer be a drain on community education.”
All of the questions will be considered, said Francis, in an informal feasibility study being conducted by the YMCA. The results of the study should be available at the next steering committee meeting on Monday, March 26.
School building concerns
Intermingled with the YMCA discussion, were questions about the proposal to attach a new community center facility to the ISD 166 west wing. Commissioner Hakes asked about problems with the community education gym floor. She asked if removing the old gym floor and building a new gymnasium as part of the community center would help the school. “Is this a way we could benefit the school?” she asked.
Collins acknowledged that the west end of the school is deteriorating and at some point would have to be demolished. “To have access to a refurbished gym would be a big plus. To have a pool that the physical education program participants could walk to would be a great benefit,” he said, adding, “but it can’t cost the school district anything.”
School Board Member Leonard Sobanja said there are too many unknowns for the school board to make a decision. He said the construction and realignment of the old gym would likely be too costly. And, he questioned whether it would even be possible, as the cement bleachers hold the roof up. He also expressed concerns about parking.
Consultant Tom Wacholz of ORB Management said Sobanja’s questions were valid. He said a complete analysis had not been conducted because the school site had not been previously selected. “If the school board is supportive of this concept, we can do that analysis. Before you take the next step, you need to look at these things,” he said.
School Board Member Deb White noted that the community center project has been “very political.” She said there are citizens asking “Do we even need a community center?” and “Can we afford this?” She said, “There are people who, if we attach the center to the school, will ask whether or not we are thinking of our kids and finances. The benefits we receive—would it balance those concerns?”
School Board Member Jeanne Anderson said, “This end of the school building has issues. Our county is looking at building a community center. It makes sense to work together; to use a building that needs revitalization.”
And, Anderson added, “I’m excited about offering afterschool educational programming.”
Sporn agreed, “The statistics are there in black and white. They show that students do better in communities that have a Y.”
Collins asked commissioners at the meeting if they intended to build a community center whether or not it was attached to the school. “If the answer is yes, the school board can say, let’s build it together. We can then tell the community it was the school board’s decision to build the community center in the most economical manner and with the beneficial impact for the community.”
Commissioner Jim Johnson said yes. “I’m very much in support of attaching it to the school. I see financial benefit for both the county and the school. What we need to know from the school is, are you willing to partner with us or not? If not, fine, we need to do something else. If you are—and I think it makes sense, we need to know that.”
Sobanja again expressed concerns about the potential costs to the school. “I see a benefit to the county, but I don’t see a benefit to the school.”
Costs for ISD 166
Superintendent Schwarz reiterated that the school district would be facing construction costs, no matter what was decided. But those costs are yet unknown. The school board looked to Maintenance Director Groth for answers He said the gym floor needs to be replaced—and there is a problem because there is asbestos underneath it, according to McNeil Environmental Schwarz said the repair would likely cost about $70,000. She said there are also ceiling tiles that need to be replaced. Groth added that there are ground water problems affecting the gym floor as well as a silo and a 10,000-gallon fuel tank to be dealt with.
“The problem is,” said Schwarz, “if the board wants hard and fast costs, we have to do requests for proposals to look at this.”
Collins referred to an August school board motion that said the board would support attaching the facility to the school if it were “cost-neutral or cost beneficial” to the school “I’m looking for that information,” said Collins.
Sanders said she would rather wait to hear the results of the YMCA feasibility study before making a decision. Other board members said they also wanted more information on cost of replacement of the gym floor and other repairs. “I think the earliest reasonable date at which the school board could make the decision would be the April 19 school board meeting,” said Schwarz.
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