×

YMCA on road to recovery, shares news

Facility reveals debt reduction, elects board

Zdunek

MARQUETTE — With the revelation of mismanagement, debt and the subsequent loss of a CEO, staff, programming and other hurdles, the YMCA of Marquette County almost didn’t make it through 2016.

But at its annual meeting Wednesday night, leaders at the Y reflected on the outsized efforts of staff and the community, reviewed debt reduction in the last nine months and approved an almost completely new board of directors.

Interim CEO Jenna Zdunek said Marquette’s Y, founded in 1990, has an amazing history, despite missteps in the last few years.

“But the last nine months, we have worked very hard as a team to fight for this YMCA, and a lot of people in this room have done that,” Zdunek said. “And I thank you so much, because even though we still have our challenges ahead of us, we’ve had huge strides and successes, and that’s our community, that’s our staff, our members, Y-USA, our board, our Friends of the Y, and so we’re continuing day by day, minute by minute, to fight for this Y, because we know we need a Y in Marquette County.”

Zdunek touted the Y’s significant accomplishments on the road to financial health.

Capital debt was reduced from $5.8 million to $4.8 million, through the sale of the Wright Street childcare facility, negotiation of key debts and fundraising.

Zdunek added that the $3 million debt with the U.S Department of Agriculture is still being negotiated, and the USDA has told the Y to pay its other debts first.

Accounts payable were reduced from nearly $345,000 to just over $196,000. Debts from almost all local vendors are taken care of, with discussions ongoing, Zdunek said.

And the Y’s operations were consolidated significantly, with payroll reduced by nearly half, from $87,000 in March to $48,000 in November.

Zdunek said she met with creditors, built relationships, stayed honest and tried to mend fences.

“We didn’t want to hurt anyone. We especially didn’t want to hurt the people that were helping us,” Zdunek said. “We wanted to make right by everyone locally.”

Despite two ongoing lawsuits, she said the Y is no longer in danger of closing its doors.

The board will retain two former members, Amanda Filizetti and Chief Volunteer Officer/Board President Greg Jones.

The 17 new appointees have a range of one-, two- and three-year terms, with one-year terms consisting of founding board members Michele Butler, Kristen Derocha, Jean Hetrick, William Hetrick, Carolyn McDonald, Christine Pesola and Christine Van Abel.

Other new members include representatives from many areas of the community, including the hospital, Northern Michigan University, local government and more, Zdunek said.

They were selected from a pool of applicants by a nominating committee made up of Brian Cabell, John Jilbert, Sue Legalley, William McDonald and Y-USA Resource Director Daryl Sieplinga.

Sieplinga said Y-USA doesn’t come unless they’re called because each Y is independent, but they want every Y to thrive. He said he will help the Y with strategic planning, board governance and more.

“We’ve also had lots of conversations … about how we can also bring resources to this Y from across the country because the challenging experiences that this Y has gone through have been the same challenging experiences that other Ys have gone through,” Sieplinga said. “And how can we learn from each other and support each other and then also, how can we build a network of staff and volunteers across the state and across the country.”

He said some might notice they haven’t had an annual meeting in the past.

“Annual meeting,” he said. “That suggests that we’ve had one before, so we have to have a restart to the annual meeting, … because it’s included in our bylaws right now that we have an annual meeting to give a progress report and also an opportunity for us to elect a new board, so that’s why we’re here.”

Butler said she is very proud of Zdunek, who stepped into the role of CEO in April after former CEO Lisa Coombs-Gerou was placed on administrative leave, then resigned.

Butler announced a $15,000 matching grant from the ME Davenport Foundation, with the first $10,000 already matched by River Valley Bank.

That $30,000 will kick off the Y’s 2017 annual campaign, with a goal of $125,000, to raise scholarship funds to assist people with financial hardships in obtaining programing and memberships.

Butler said Zdunek has been honest, clear and transparent throughout the difficult process of restructuring and getting the Y operationally back in the black.

“We built it once, we can do it again,” Butler said.

Food and beverages at the meeting were donated by Vango’s restaurant, flowers were donated by Lutey’s Flower Shop and the projector screen and speakers were offered at a discount by Double Trouble DJs, all of Marquette.

Mary Wardell can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is mwardell@miningjournal.net.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today