Published: October 01, 2008 11:41 am      

Still no operating agreement for New Albany's portion of Scribner Place

New Albany Redevelopment Commission members are anxious to get an operating contract in place with YMCA of Southern Indiana for the city’s portion of Scribner Place.

The YMCA and aquatic center are set to open Nov. 15.

During a Tuesday meeting, commission President Irving Joshua said the clock is ticking.

“I’m not supportive of this thing opening up without us having some sort of an agreement,” Joshua said.

The $18 million donated for the project from the then Caesars Foundation of Floyd County was presented to the commission, not the YMCA. The city owns the three-pool aquatic center, but is seeking the YMCA to oversee it.

Other options for managing the aquatic center could be the New Albany-Floyd County Parks and Recreation department, or a private entity.

John Rosenbarger, director of public facilities for the city, said he’s disappointed the operation contract has taken so long to sort out, but still has faith the matter will be resolved.

“They are good partners and we’ll work it out, I know,” Rosenbarger said.

The commission received a draft of an operating agreement Tuesday. Rosenbarger said he and City Attorney Shane Gibson would comb through it and “report as we go” to the commission.

He hopes Joe LaRocca, executive director of the YMCA of Southern Indiana, will be able to attend the next commission meeting in October to discuss the agreement and other concerns.

Joshua and other commission members, including Councilman Dan Coffey, want specifics on access to the aquatic center and YMCA for residents who can’t afford a membership.

The YMCA does have programs to provide financial support, but nothing has been set in stone for the New Albany facility, or for the aquatic center.

“We do have a daily admission fee in the preliminary agreement {with YMCA},” Rosenbarger said in regards to the aquatic center. “It says there has to be a measure of public access on a daily basis.”

Access could include discounted rates for those financially strapped or at least daily passes to the aquatic center.

As for the YMCA, LaRocca said recently the organization subsidizes 13 percent of its memberships in Jeffersonville, at a value of $16,000 per month. The Y location in Jeffersonville is at 4812 Hamburg Pike.

“We look at their income and we reduce the rate accordingly,” LaRocca said.

LaRocca added that daily passes for swimming pools would be available, but likely at a higher rate than if purchased as part of a membership.

But the price of a daily rate would not be calculated until an operating agreement is reached between the YMCA and the city.

The commission and YMCA have found a way to help under-privileged children. The new parking lots for Scribner Place will be used for parking during the upcoming Harvest Homecoming.

Money raised from parking will go to cover overhead expenses and to be put into an account that will help provide access for children in need of financial assistance.