MCC Advisory Board Minutes 01-20-2005COMMUNITY CENTER ADVISORY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 20, 2005 - 4:30 P.M.
Board Members Present: Richard Quick -Vice Chair, Sandra Theros, Bob Grabinski and Clint Herbst.
Board Members Absent: Harvey Kendall -Chair
Staff Members Present: Kitty Baltos-Director
1. Meeting called to order at 4:31 p.m. by Richard Quick, Vice Chair.
2. Consideration of adding items to the agenda
A. Swan River School update (Item 6)
B. Bernick's Pepsi $20,000 up -front money and use (Item 7)
3. MOTION by Bob Grabinski to approve the minutes from the December 16, 2004 regular Advisory
Board meeting, SECOND by Sandra Theros, MOTION PASSED unanimously.
4. Update Items:
A. 2004 end of year purchases; Kitty Baltos provided a list of eight items purchased at the end of
2004 as per discussions at previous Advisory Board meetings. Those items were (1) down
payment on draperies for the Mississippi Room and the River Room, (2) Double door freezer,
(3) upright exercise bike and lying hamstring machine, (4) electrical upgrades to concessions
area and the gymnasium, (5) pool storage cabinet, (6) security camera purchased and camera
improvements, (7) ping pong table and (8) two ornamental trees for the gallery hallway. All
items purchased totaled $21,711.34. Richard Quick questioned what the budget surplus was.
Kitty believed that the amount approximately $60,000.
B. Fifth Anniversary Celebration; Kitty Baltos reported that it was recommended by her
supervisor, Jeff O'Neill, that an inexpensive approach to the celebration would be the best
plan. The Board discussed ideas and recommended:
i. Free until 5 p.m. - guests can use the MCC for free until 5 p.m.
ii. Dollars off a new or renewal membership. Specifically a $5 dollar discount.
iii. Specially pricing for concessions, for example, .050 popcorn.
The Board requested that the wall be open after school hours and that we have a fitness trainer
in the fitness area for longer hours. Clint Herbst also suggested that rather than advertise in
the newspaper, we use a portable sign on Highway 25 for advertising.
C. Facility usage numbers for 2004; Kitty Baltos provided information and reported on the
facility usage number for 2004. The numbers indicated that the community center saw over
131,500 visitors for 2004. This number does not include participants in swim lessons or other
programs or for people in MCC for meetings that do not use the other facilities of the center.
Kitty estimated that if those areas were included, the number would most likely top 150,000
users for 2004. The usage represented a 20% increase over 2003. Kitty also informed the
Board that so far January 2005 has been an extremely strong month.
Clint Herbst question the item in the December 16, 2004 meeting minutes about low
attendance in the wheel parks. The Board discussed options for improving attendance for
2005 and reaffirmed its commitment to watch the usage number closely.
Bob Grabinski reviewed with the Board his desire to take down the aerobic room walls to
allow for more space in the fitness area which is being heavily used. Kitty let the Board know
that we do have a lease agreement with a Tae Kwon Do school until either the beginning or
the end of June this year and that Swan River has requested to use the aerobic room in
September for their classes while construction finishes up. Bob suggested that we at least take
the doors down so people know that they can use the room to stretch and do abdominal
exercises. Kitty said that she would talk to the head of the TKD school to see if he is
amenable to this.
5. Discussion of the Minnesota Independent Health Club Association (MIHCA) member reimbursement
program. Kitty reviewed the information provided to the Board about the MIHCA program. She also
shared reference information from Syntregy Fitness and the Perham Community Center who are
currently members of the program. The Board came to the consensus that our desire to keep
membership prices low and be a family community center did not allow us the additional revenue to
cover the cost of this program. They asked Kitty to inform the members in a positive way about this
decision, but asked that she keep on top of any changes in the future that might make this program
more feasible to join.
6. Added Item: Swan River Update; Kitty informed the Board that the agreement was again being
reviewed by the City Council. She asked Clint Herbst to update the Board further. Clint said that they
were still working on the agreement in particular some of the wording with regards to payments to the
community center for facility usage. Kitty expressed her concern to the Board about parking issues
for both facilities. Clint informed the Board that the Council would be looking to build a parking lot
behind the library and across Walnut Street from MCC to ease the parking problem. Sandra Theros
questioned if there would be any difficulties for the staff with the additional usage daily. Kitty
advised that Swan River promised that if they were using the pool it would be no more than 10
students at a time which is well within the MCC life guard to patron ratio and would not require
additional staff. MCC would also just divide the gym for their use and not provide an MCC staff
person. Swan River has promised MCC that if we have a group they will be flexible about their time
to allow us to still maintain our heavy group usage.
7. Added Item: Bernick's $20,000; In the discussion about advertising for the Fifth Anniversary, Clint
Herbst recommended that we again look at an electronic sign on Highway 25. Sandra Theros
suggested that we use the Bernick's money towards the purchase of this sign. The Board was in
agreement about this with a strong request from Sandra to add equipment to the Romp n Stomp room.
She suggested basketball hoops, a new fort, etc.
8. MOTION by Bob Grabinski to adjourn the meeting at 6:05 p.m., SECOND by Sandra Theros,
MOTION PASSED, meeting adjourned.