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Council approves YMCA management agreement for Lexington Aquatic Park; staff to study in-house option
Summary
After questioning the $48,500 management fee, council approved a one-year operating contract with J. Smith Young YMCA for the Lexington Aquatic Park and directed staff to analyze whether the city could operate the pool in-house in future seasons.
The Lexington City Council approved a management agreement with the J. Smith Young YMCA to operate the Lexington Aquatic Park for the 2025 summer season while directing staff to study whether the city could return operations in-house in a future year.
Laura Duran, Lexington Parks and Recreation Director, told council the city has contracted with the J. Smith Young YMCA to operate the pool for the past 11 years. Under the proposed 2025 agreement the contract amount remains the same as last year: $48,500, plus an additional $3,000 reimbursable payment to cover needed off-duty police security when requested, Duran said. “It is, $48,500 Plus there is a $3,000 reimbursable for needed security that they would pay directly and then we reimburse,” Duran said on the record.
Several council members questioned why the city contracts the operation rather than staffing and running the pool in-house. Councilman Curry asked for a breakdown of the $48,500 and whether the city pays a percentage to the YMCA to hire lifeguards; Duran said staff does not have a line-item breakdown available at the meeting and that the YMCA requested the stated contract amount.
Duran and other council members said contracting with the YMCA brings operational efficiencies: the YMCA already trains and staffs lifeguards, runs year‑round aquatics programs at its indoor pool and has a pool recruitment pipeline. Duran said she had contacted the YMCA aquatics supervisor and was told lifeguard staffing was ready for the upcoming season. Several council members said the timing leaves too little time to stand up a city-run program for the coming season; Councilman Holloway and others said they would support conducting an analysis for next year.
Councilman Myers moved to approve the YMCA management agreement and Councilman Welburn seconded; the motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: The agreement ensures the pool will be staffed and operational this summer while the city assesses costs and capacity to possibly resume in-house operation. The contract amount and the additional reimbursable security payment were the primary focus of council questions.
Next steps: Staff agreed to prepare a fiscal and operational analysis comparing the current contract to an in-house model, with council members saying that any switch would likely be considered for a subsequent season because of timing constraints this year.
