SJSD Proposal to Keep YMCA Open

The St.

Joseph School District has provided light at the end of the tunnel for the Downtown YMCA to keep it's doors open

<<(reporter danielle sachse)a light at the end of a tunnel... as the ymca nears its final two weeks before closing it's doors,sot: ron hook, ymca chairman "right now the st.

Joe school district's our number one choice at this point."ron hook and the ymca's ceo sue white--presented a proposal to the st.

Joseph school distrcit finance board at a meeting on monday night, wanting to collaborate with the school distrcit that could save the downtown "y"sot: rick gilmore, sjsd finance board member "we felt positive that it could be a positive thing for our community and for the school district for a long-range planning."if a deal is made, the ymca would be able to keep it's doors open to ymca members and the school district would use it as an alternate siteas the district is in need of certain amenities...sot: rick gilmore, sjsd finance board member "for basketball courts for middle school, and also to provide a pool for the swim teams. it would also give us a building where we can have a wellness program where self-insured with our health insurance.

We have thousands of employees and we could offer them a wellness program at the ymca.

We feel like that could reduce our insurance cost."but the price is costly...the ymca's proposal is to sell the building for four hundred-and fifty thousand dollars...the selling price not including maintenance repairs that could put the total cost over one million dollarssot: rick gilmore, sjsd finance board member "in the long run i think it would be a good investment for the school district.

The price is negotiable like i say, you know.

It might be a reciprical agreement, where we work that price to a different level."along with the community, the mayor has publicly voiced wanting to keep the ymca open,leaving the board members in good hopes that there will be a positive outcome afterallsot: ron hook, ymca chairman "we've had nothing but outpouring from the community and support from everybody to 'what can we do' is what people are saying, 'what can do to help?'" reporting in st.

Joseph, danielle sachse, kq2 news>> school