YMCA revising membership fees

The Baker County YMCA is resetting its membership fees across the board beginning Sept. 1.

Some rates are going up, others are going down.

In most instances, the effect depends on how long a person has been a YMCA member.

The YMCA has more than 1,500 members locally.

There have been “30 different rates that do not match our published rates. It’s not consistent, fair or equitable,” said Shauna Coleman, CEO of the Family YMCA of Baker County.

“People start asking ‘why?’ ”

Since 2005, the YMCA has allowed existing members to continue to pay the same fee that was in place then — in essence, making those members exempt from any increases since then.

That has resulted in “newer members paying more than everyone else,” Coleman said.

The local YMCA board approved the rate changes because of the lack of pricing consistency, said Dennis Wright, board president.

“We surveyed membership rates in many different areas to make sure we were in line,” Wright said.

Even though the YMCA hasn’t required longtime members to pay more, the organization’s operating costs have risen substantially — utility rates have increased by 22 percent since 2005, and staffing costs have risen by 40 percent.

Consistent rates should bring in more money overall because “retropricing doesn't sustain your operations,” Coleman said.

One user group receiving a substantial rate decrease will be youth. For example, the monthly drafted youth rate will be cut in half, from $30 to $15.

YMCA already provides free summer lunches to local children and there will be many new youth-oriented programs available, such as expanded afterschool activities.

About two dozen local businesses have corporate membership accounts, including the Baker City Herald. Rates are going up for many of these members.

Coleman emphasized that there also will be more offerings targeting these members, however. Team building help and use of the YMCA building, as well as such things as yoga classes or brown bag lunch talks, will make corporate memberships even more valuable, she said.

Other plans to get the most for the available money include leasing some exercise equipment instead of buying it. This should help members avoid that feeling of staleness that can come with having only so many choices in a gym, Coleman said.

Members received letters last month informing them about the impending change in membership rates.

The ultimate goal is to increase community participation in the YMCA by better “meeting the needs of the Baker County residents,” Coleman said.