YMCA Leaders Say They Want a Seat at the Table as Lebanon Considers Cowan Civic Center Changes

YMCA Leaders Say They Want a Seat at the Table as Lebanon Considers Cowan Civic Center Changes

As the City of Lebanon continues exploring the future operation of the Cowan Civic Center, leaders with the YMCA say they remain hopeful there is still room for discussion and a path that allows the organization to continue operating in Lebanon.

Lebanon Now sat down with Tricia Meinhold, CEO of the regional YMCA organization, and Brandy Undelhoven , executive director of the Lebanon and Dallas County YMCAs, to discuss the city’s proposal, the YMCA’s finances, programs and what they believe has been missing from the conversation.

The interview is the first of a two-part effort by Lebanon Now to hear directly from both sides. City representatives are expected to sit down separately with Lebanon Now to discuss the city’s position and plans.

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YMCA Says City’s Direction Came as a Surprise

Meinhold said discussions with Lebanon City Administrator Troy Schulte initially appeared positive.

She said Schulte had experience working with YMCAs, toured the Lebanon facility and had conversations with YMCA leadership about the operation.

However, Meinhold said she was surprised when she later learned publicly that the city was considering transitioning away from the YMCA operating the Cowan Civic Center.

“I thought it was a really good conversation,” Meinhold said. “And then the next thing I know in the newspaper, someone sent me a screenshot of the city wanting to take over the rec center. And that was complete news to us.”

Meinhold said the YMCA knew its current contract was limited in duration but believed further discussions would take place before a decision was made.

YMCA representatives have since been invited to present their position to the Lebanon City Council later in September.

YMCA Questions City’s Financial Projections

One of the major issues discussed during the interview was the cost of operating the facility.

Meinhold said she reviewed portions of the city’s presentation and questioned whether the estimated expenses fully reflected the cost of operating the center.

“I’ve done a lot of budgets in my life,” she said.

According to Undelhoven, the Lebanon YMCA expects its expenses this year to exceed $600,000.

“This year alone, we’re looking at $636,000, upwards of $600,000, in expense for the year,” she said.

That includes the YMCA’s payment to the city under its current agreement.

Meinhold said YMCAs can also reduce some operational expenses by sharing resources through the larger national organization.

The YMCA has access to services and expertise covering areas including human resources, legal assistance, software systems, health and wellness programs, aquatics, youth development and professional training.

She said those shared resources allow YMCA facilities to operate at a scale that an individual municipal recreation department may not have available.

YMCA Addresses Lease Payments

The city’s previous presentation included discussion of the YMCA’s lease arrangement and past requests for reductions.

Undelhoven said the history of those payments is more complicated than simply saying the YMCA repeatedly sought lower rent.

She said the YMCA became involved with the Cowan Civic Center after community leaders approached the organization because the facility was operating at a significant deficit.

Undelhovensaid that when she took over in 2014, the YMCA paid no lease payment that year.

Payments then increased over several years.

According to Undelhoven, the YMCA paid approximately $30,000 in 2015, $60,000 in 2016 and $90,000 beginning in 2017.

She said the YMCA continued paying $90,000 annually and that the current year was the first time since 2017 that the organization formally requested a lease reduction.

Utilhoven also discussed an agreement reached with former City Administrator Mike Schumacher in 2023, when the city and YMCA were discussing potential memberships or benefits for city employees.

She said the city ultimately agreed to provide approximately $34,000 annually toward those memberships.

What Does the Money Going to Springfield Pay For?

Meinhold also addressed questions she said have circulated about money from Lebanon going to the YMCA’s larger regional operation.

She said the YMCA’s budget includes an allocation of more than $100,000, but said that money pays for shared organizational services rather than simply being money removed from Lebanon.

Those services include administrative leadership, human resources, customer management systems, point-of-sale systems and other organizational support.

Meinhold compared it to a company with multiple locations sharing the expense of corporate-level services.

More Than a Gym

Both YMCA leaders spent significant time describing programs they say could be affected if the YMCA leaves the Cowan Civic Center.

Undelhoven pointed to the annual Senior Prom, scheduled this year for September 25.

The free event provides dinner and entertainment for area senior citizens and is funded through sponsorships.

Last year’s event attracted more than 200 participants, with approximately 250 expected this year.

The YMCA also partners with Special Olympics, including an annual swim meet and its Train for Life program for individuals with disabilities.

Other YMCA programs include swim lessons, homeschool physical education, summer day camp, youth sports, blood drives and health programs.

The organization’s annual Chili Cook-Off raises approximately $27,000 for financial assistance.

That assistance can help cover memberships, youth programs and swim lessons for families who otherwise could not afford them.

Nearly One-Third of Members Receive Some Type of Assistance

The Lebanon YMCA currently serves close to 3,000 members, according to Utilhoven.

She said nearly 1,000 of those members receive some form of financial assistance or participate through insurance-funded programs.

Those programs include SilverSneakers, Renew Active and UnitedHealthcare programs for children.

The YMCA also uses an income-based sliding scale similar to the Lebanon R-3 School District’s free and reduced-price lunch guidelines.

“If you have kids in the school district and they qualify for either free or reduced, you will qualify for some type of assistance through the Y,” Undelhoven said.

She said the organization also works individually with people facing homelessness or other difficult financial circumstances.

“We always want to make sure that nobody has ever turned away due to the inability to pay,” she said.

The YMCA also offers discounts for foster families and military families.

Programs Members May Not Know About

Meinhold said some benefits of YMCA membership extend well beyond Lebanon.

Members can access participating YMCA facilities across the country while traveling.

Members also receive access to certain YMCA properties and programs elsewhere, including discounted opportunities at YMCA facilities such as Estes Park in Colorado.

Locally, the YMCA provides Kid Zone childcare during designated hours so parents can exercise while their children are supervised.

Staff members working in childcare programs receive CPR, first aid and other required training.

Meinhold also emphasized the role volunteers play in the YMCA.

The organization depends heavily on volunteers for programs including youth sports and community events.

YMCA Says It Is Willing to Expand Hours

One criticism raised during discussions about the Cowan Civic Center has involved operating hours.

YMCA leaders said those hours were reduced based on facility usage and financial considerations following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meinhold said YMCA officials reviewed member scan data and found very limited use during some evening and weekend hours.

“If it’s one member coming in past seven or eight o’clock at night, is it worth keeping two or three staff?” she said.

However, both Meinhold and Undelhoven said the organization is willing to reconsider those decisions.

Undelhoven said weekend hours have recently been brought to her attention as an issue.

“A lot of things have changed since COVID,” she said. “I absolutely want to have those conversations and relook at what we’re doing.”

Meinhold said the YMCA’s message to the city is that concerns such as hours, programs or staffing can be discussed rather than automatically requiring a change in operators.

What Happens if the City Takes Over?

When asked whether the YMCA could relocate somewhere else in Lebanon if the city assumes control of the Cowan Civic Center, Meinhold said there currently appears to be no clear alternative.

One major issue is the swimming pool.

Aquatics and water safety are significant parts of the YMCA’s mission, and Meinhold said finding another facility with comparable amenities would be difficult.

The YMCA also does not currently have the financial resources to construct a new facility.

“At this time, no, we didn’t have any options,” she said.

If the YMCA leaves the Cowan Civic Center, the organization would also remove equipment that it owns.

Meinhold said the YMCA owns the facility’s cardio equipment, while some of the weight equipment belongs to the city and has been maintained during the YMCA’s operation.

She said those details are among several issues that would have to be resolved if the city moves forward with a transition.

YMCA Wants More Direct Communication

Asked what she believes is missing from the current public discussion, Meinhold pointed to transparency and direct communication between the YMCA and city officials.

“I think we need to be a little bit more transparent with each other to just really have those conversations,” she said.

Meinhold said she believes the YMCA can operate the facility more economically than the city while continuing to provide community programs.

She also said she does not want disagreements over individual issues to overshadow the possibility of finding solutions.

“Let’s talk about that,” she said.

Undelhoven agreed, pointing again to the debate over operating hours.

She said the YMCA cannot respond to concerns it does not know exist.

“Nobody had really said anything about it being an issue until all of a sudden it was an issue,” she said.

YMCA Says It Is Open to Negotiation

Both leaders repeatedly said they are willing to discuss changes to the current operation.

That could include hours, programming, staffing, community needs or additional partnerships.

Meinhold said the YMCA’s model is built around identifying gaps in communities and developing programs to fill those needs.

“If we sat around a table with the city and said, where are the gaps that need to be addressed, that’s what the Y is founded on,” she said.

Rather than viewing the situation as either the YMCA stays exactly as it currently operates or the city completely takes over, Meinhold said she hopes there is room for a broader discussion.

“We absolutely welcome the conversation,” she said.

Community Partnerships Extend Beyond Recreation

The YMCA leaders also highlighted several community partnerships they say demonstrate the organization’s broader role in Lebanon.

Compass Health clients are provided access to the YMCA, including individuals with disabilities.

The YMCA also partners with Show-Me Autism Awareness, serving as a bag pickup location for the organization.

Other partnerships have included food drives and the annual Silver Tree program with Northridge Place and Cedarhurst, which provides Christmas gifts to residents.

Those partnerships, Undelhoven said, are part of why she hopes the YMCA can remain in Lebanon.

What Comes Next

The YMCA is encouraging members and residents who have opinions about the future of the Cowan Civic Center to communicate those views to city leaders.

Meinhold said she understands why the city would examine other possibilities for the facility and does not believe the discussion has to remain adversarial.

“I feel like the city and the Y can have a really good conversation,” she said. “I just feel like there’s a lot of misunderstanding.”

She said YMCA officials are willing to discuss what the city wants from the facility and what changes could be made to better serve residents.

“How do we make it better and how do we satisfy the council and the mayor and what their expectations are?” Meinhold said. “We’re open to those conversations.”

Lebanon Now will continue examining the issue and plans to sit down with city representatives for the second part of the discussion, giving the city an opportunity to address its proposal, financial projections and plans for the future of the Cowan Civic Center.