YMCA, city work on new contract

Published 9:07 pm Wednesday, January 20, 2016

The city of Selma is considering altering its contract with the YMCA of Selma -Dallas County.

Three years ago, the Selma City Council approved a $2 lodging fee on all hotel rooms in the city. Of that amount, $1.50 went to the YMCA. The remaining 50 cents was to go to the revitalization of the Brown YMCA.

While the fee is still in effect, the city’s contract with the YMCA is now up.

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Since June 2014, the lodging fee has raised $275,900 for the YMCA.

Executive director Ann Murray said the funds were vital important to the YMCA’s work in the community.

“Every day we strive to make our community stronger. The lodging fees are crucial to the Y continuing to do the work we do serving hundreds of people from all walks of life,” Murray said.

The council is expected to discuss the issue at Thursday’s work session. A committee meeting was talked about at the last meeting but hadn’t been scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon.

Murray said she’s asked to be put on the agenda for Thursday’s meeting.

“We want to be able to answer any questions from the council or to address their concerns,” Murray said.

Murray said the YMCA has about 200 children playing in the current basketball season with 30 coaches. The Y is also working to build youth soccer fields on its campus.

Murray said those programs as well as those for seniors like water and land aerobics may have to be cut if funding is lost.

“Without the lodging fees, those programs could be in jeopardy,” Murray said. “We have an excellent story to tell, and I look forward to being able to tell it.”

When asked about the contract Wednesday, Mayor George Evans said he expected the issue to be discussed soon by the city council.

“I do know in funding every dollar you get helps in whatever they do, but I don’t know what their budget is or how many employees they have and things like that in order to move forward,” Evans said. “That’s something I have not seen, and I think through this discussion all that will all be brought out with the city council as to the operating budget and expectations for this 2016 year.”

Councilman Greg Bjelke said he believes the money will continue to be set aside for the YMCA.

“It’s doing good for that Y. A lot of people have the concept that it’s just for a certain class of folks, and it’s not. That place serves the entire community, and it’s going to really good use,” Bjelke said. “I don’t think the day is going to come where that money is going to be used for anything else. That place serves this community very well.”