YMCA proposes to run city rec programs

ndmeditorial.com

Gary DeCocq, Osage Prairie YMCA interim director, told the Nevada Parks Board Wednesday that the YMCA would like to contract with the city to take over the operation of the city's youth recreation programs eventually.

DeCocq said he was filling in as director while Jeff Snyder recovered from quadruple bypass surgery.

He told the board that having two recreation programs sometimes forces parents to choose between them and prevents their children from being able to participate with their friends. It also can make it more difficult to get coaches and officials for the programs.

DeCocq said for example the YMCA is getting ready to start its basketball program, which will end in December. The city will start its basketball program in January. And sometimes parents are not able to afford to participate in both programs.

"We have about 28 programs," DeCocq said, adding the programs are for kindergarten through adult.

He said the Y has 750 members, with about 50 percent of those on Y scholarships.

DeCocq said they would like to start with one program and if everything went well, expand to run all of the programs eventually.

"It would not be all or nothing," he said.

"There are 12 communities which contracted with the Y to run their youth programs. They have been very successful programs," he said.

Scott Theis, who is a YMCA board member, said they had tried to work with Dana Redburn to establish this kind of program.

"Dana had some grudge against the Y from when she was program director there, eight or nine years ago," Theis said.

DeCocq told the board they would like to have everything worked out by the end of December and start with a trial sport in January.

"I'm all for it and think we should give it a try," Annie Daughtery, park board chairman, said, adding that Jeff Snyder had talked to her about it.

Johnna Williams, interim city clerk, said because the park board did not have a quorum it could not vote to send the city council a recommendation.

Williams also said the city manager should also be included in the meeting as the city representative.

Daugherty said the YMCA's next step would be to put together a proposal and bring it to the board's next meeting on Nov. 30.