It’s easy to find the landmines in the YMCA pro-forma income statement where the Y predicts operating costs, revenue, and losses. The problems start in the revenue column with first year predictions at $172,763 climbing to $237,240 in year five.
These figures are based on local use without tourists, which they predict will skyrocket.
Current figures at the Rec. Park pool include tourist use, which consultants say will drop after moving the pool, with revenues from $58,311 to $65,680 with a spike to $78,391 for one year, credited to program fees for water fitness and swim lessons rising to $13,284 from $5,105.
The YMCA program fees are $52,000 rising to $78,300 in year five. They predict about one-third of students will participate in afterschool
YMCA programs with more fees.
They are using the same failed pledge system to defend building the YMCA that produced the failed Grand Marais Business Park, for which property tax dollars are currently earmarked to pay the upcoming bond payments. Although there has been a vigorous campaign to pledge to buy memberships, they have stalled out at about 80. The YMCA promises 250 plus. The pool has averaged 70 for years.
It seems they believe most of us need to change our way of life to their way of thinking. Quit fishing, hunting, hiking and being outside and pay to use the YMCA.
If you refuse to cooperate, they will just raise your property taxes. Any way you look at it, they raised the cost of living here by $2 to $3 a day.
Currently the county board has applied for a local government innovations award for their handling of the community center project and bringing our community together. Did they mention hiding the feasibility study that casts a dark light on their plan? Or the misinformation that it took Representative David Dill to clear up? Or the fact that candidates running on a community center platform lost? The fact that the SEER study pokes holes in the YMCA financial data on the project? Or the community’s complaints that the county board is not listening?
Once again, the county board, city council, Community Center Steering Committee and school board are only fooling themselves as they accent their irresponsibility to taxpayers.
Tod Sylvester
Grand Marais
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