YMCA May Take Over Sports Park and Recreation Center

The city of Imperial Beach is currently in negotiations for the YMCA of San Diego County to take over operations at the Imperial Beach Sports Park and Recreation Center, route: {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show", :id=>"imperial-beach-sports-parkrecreation-center"} -->, City Manager Gary Brown said Monday.

Brown declined to comment on the fate of current Sports Park staff but employee's union president Mike Murphy said they will be laid off—eliminating the city's smallest department.

"It's just a sad, eerie day that the city has gone away from kids again," an anonymous sports park employee said, noting that children may be asked to pay fees for some services that are now free at the Sports Park.

Employee negotiations are ongoing.

No formal deal has been signed with the city, said South Bay Family YMCA Executive Manager Lisa Johnson.

What happens to current staff is up to the city, Johnson said.

"It's too early in the process to say, but that's really up to the city," she said. "That's really their thing until they select a provider."

Handing the Sports Park to the YMCA will allow for partnerships between South Bay YMCA branches and YMCA Camp Surf in Imperial Beach, Johnson said.

Brown will meet with SEIU Local 221 President Murphy in closed session Wednesday ahead of a 6 p.m. City Council meeting.

City Attorney Jennifer Lyon and Brown will also meet in closed session with a YMCA representative Wednesday to discuss "price and terms of payment," the meeting agenda stated.

The YMCA may take over by the end of the year or early 2013, Brown said.

"The Y said they would basically not charge the city to operate it," Brown said. "We think the Y could provide a lot more upgrades in service to the public than we can with our staff."

The decision to turn over management of the property is not based on the performance of Sports Park employees, Brown said.

"This is not a performance issue at all," he said. "It's how can we best, in this case, how can we get more services to people at a facility that we have."

The union tells a different story.

Murphy said the city did little to support the center and keep it in city hands. Ways to generate revenue were not implemented, and the city has not done enough to promote activities.

"It's been ongoing for a lot longer than going back to the spring," he said. "It's been losing money for years."

As the city tried to balance its budget this spring, Sports Park staff were asked to make cuts and increase fees. Some higher fees were instated, hours were cut and staff was reduced from 12 employees to 5.

Imperial Beach Sports Park and Recreation Director Jim Coates that cost saving measures and ways to generate income