The cost of being a member of the proposed new community center just went up. The SEER Analytical report (paid for by the county) tells us that our community’s demographics can support 129 memberships.
Previous membership estimates (unsupported by any third-party study) said our community could support 500 memberships. The steering committee did not accept SEER Analytical numbers and Chris Francis, CEO of the Duluth YMCA, nearly doubled that membership number in his report to 250, half of his original estimate of 500 memberships. In his report Mr. Francis then had to raise membership costs to make up the difference. Yearly family membership will now be over $750 and single memberships will be over $400.
This is unsettling. The SEER Analytical study said 129 memberships, Chris Francis for the Duluth YMCA now says 250 and the number in his last report was 500 memberships. And if Chris Francis is wrong and the steering committee is wrong then the whole large white elephant will end up being dumped onto the county.
And now with the membership estimate so dramatically reduced we face more economic danger as fewer and fewer memberships lost or gained will have more and more impact on maintaining what is needed to remain viable.
Membership is such a basic question that it is unfair for the county commissioners to simply allow this planning to continue without first getting a handle on how many people we can expect to use and support the new community center. We need a legitimate survey of all county residents to find out how many people will join and what they feel they can pay.
Molly Hoffman
Grand Marais
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