BLOSSBURG - Plans to locate a Tioga County YMCA in the former Mansfield Armory building are moving forward, with or without financial help from the Southern Tioga School District, but hopefully with, according to borough officials.
A contingency of municipal officials from the borough, Richmond and Putnam townships, which have already made commitments, as well as the River Valley YMCA, based in Williamsport, which also would oversee the 'Y' in Tioga County, were on hand at the school board's monthly work session Monday.
Discussed were among other things, use of the Smythe Park athletic fields, which the school district owns.
Mansfield Borough council president Steve Gee said he hoped that the five-year financial commitment requested, which was not disclosed, would be agreeable to the board, and included a possible "trade-off" of use of the fields for the district's use of the new 'Y.'
There were questions from the board, including from Frank Kollar, who said he had a "problem" with what he called "negative impact" on the district of two of the points in the proposed agreement.
Kollar's question was about what happens when grant funding no longer is available and the district would be required to contribute a "percentage" plus help fund any capital improvements to the real property that the 'Y' or the borough deems necessary.
"I'm reluctant to sign any agreement that encumbers us into the future when we are financially strapped," he said.
Gee said that he was "confident" at the end of the five-year period the 'Y' would be completely "self-sustaining," with memberships and other fundraising activities.
Dave Fagerstrom, president and CEO of the River Valley YMCA, told the board that the 'Y' successfully oversees several recreation centers in Lycoming County as well as the Bradford County 'Y' in Towanda and soon the Tioga County 'Y' in Mansfield.
"The YMCA is one of the largest human service providers in the country. Ours has a $6-7 million annual budget," he said, adding that the River Valley 'Y' took over the Bradford County 'Y' when it was struggling to stay afloat, and turned things around for it. He also noted that the 'Y' is not just a "recreation" place; it also is "the largest provider of licensed curriculum based preschool" services in Lycoming County.
Sliding scale fees are charged for those services but many who can't afford to pay are covered by Lycoming County's STEP program, he added.
Memberships also are charged on a sliding scale, according to ability to pay, he said.
"Ys' are doing that all over the country," he said. "It makes sense to include Tioga County in that group."
Gee said that things still could be worked out, and that having the 'Y' would be a big plus for the district as well as the community in terms of added programming for youth and seniors alike.
"I truly believe we need this in our county. If we all work together it's not that big of a commitment," he said, adding that the borough would continue to seek other partners as well.
Other concerns brought up by the board were contractors doing the upcoming renovation of the building to replace the furnace, windows and some of the flooring blocking access to the school district's parking area, which is adjacent the armory's parking area, and clearances for people employed by the 'Y.'
Gee said he didn't "anticipate there would be a lot of problems," with the parking, and Fagerstrom said all employees of the non-profit organization had to go through background checks and obtain state police and other clearances.
