Council heard the first reading at its last meeting on Jan. 16, 10 days after Tyler Roberts from the YMCA and Adriane Scherrer from SplashDown Middletown Water Park, made presentations before council during a special meeting.
Dora Bronston, a former vice mayor on city council, sent an email on Jan. 31 to the five council members, saying when she checked online she found no information regarding the agreement between the city and YMCA.
“I am requesting that you remove and not vote on this matter until all financials are presented to you and posted for public review,” she wrote in an email that was obtained by the Journal-News. “I would like to know when the packet becomes available for review.”
Late last week, the council packet for the meeting was posted.
All Middletown residents should be able to review the financial agreement to determine whether the numbers will be “conducive to what was presented” in the slide presentation and for how long, Bronston wrote.
Most families in Middletown can’t afford membership or transportation to the YMCA organization and do not want their city money expanding this religious 501C3 facility, she wrote.
Council member Zack Ferrell responded to Bronston’s email and said the YMCA offers a scholarship program that reduces rates for low-income families and regardless where the aquatic center is located, transportation will be an issue.
According to the agreement, for a period of 20 years, Middletown residents will be given a discounted rate of $5 per youth and $10 per adult for daytime admission passes to the facility.
SplashDown Middletown board members said they wanted the city to spend $25,000 on a feasibility study.
Mayor Elizabeth Slamka asked for a vote regarding the study and it failed 3-1 with her casting the only “yes” vote. Council member Jennifer Carter abstained, saying she’s on the YMCA board.
Council members Paul Horn, Steve West II and Ferrell all expressed their support for the project to be awarded to the YMCA.
Bronston and Scherrer, who served as the mayor’s campaign treasurer, serve on the SplashDown board.
If approved, once the aquatic center is built at 5750 Innovation Drive, all future operation and maintenance will be the responsibility of the YMCA, according to the ordinance.
YMCA RESPONSIBILITIES
- YMCA will ensure it has received at least two bids from qualified contractors and that it selects the contractor that it deems best qualified to perform the project for the price quoted.
- YMCA will make regular reports to the city regarding the expenditure of funds and the status of construction, and must comply with all other ARPA reporting and administrative requirements.
- YMCA will ensure construction of the facility will be completed in time for a May 2025 opening to the public, absent unforeseen events.
- Post-construction, YMCA will be obligated to keep and maintain the facility in a good, clean, operational condition at all times.
- YMCA covenants that the facility will be open for use by Middletown residents seasonally during summer months and otherwise in accordance with the YMCA’s general policies and procedures.
- For a period of 20 years, Middletown residents will be given a discounted rate of $5 per youth and $10 per adult for daytime admission passes to the facility.
- In order for the city to keep tabs on the investment it has made, YMCA will meet with the city semi-annually to report on usage, operational issues, YMCA’s maintenance of the facility, etc.
SOURCE: City of Middletown
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