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Parent asks trustees to press Lakota schools for bidding, oversight of YMCA before‑and‑after program
Summary
A West Chester Township parent told trustees the YMCA’s before‑and‑after school program has operated rent‑free in Lakota School District schools for decades without a formal contract or competitive bidding; the parent asked trustees to seek oversight, accountability and a selection process so families have choices.
At the April 14 meeting, parent Reza Yazian (address given on the record) reported that after three months in the Lakota School District’s YMCA before‑and‑after program he and his wife withdrew their children because of what he described as operational and safety concerns. Yazian said the family raised issues directly with YMCA leadership but saw no corrective action. He told trustees the YMCA has operated in district schools for about 30 years and — in his account — long operated without a contract and without a competitive procurement process for the program’s placement in schools.
Yazian, who said his wife has more than 30 years of experience in education, estimated the YMCA’s local before/after program generates roughly $2.628 million annually and called for a formal bidding process, parental representation in oversight and more accountability so taxpayer‑funded services are selected through competitive means. “Parents need to have a voice,” he said.
Trustees did not make a formal direction on the spot; staff acknowledged the comment will be part of the public record and suggested the district and relevant entities be contacted for clarification. The township itself does not operate the school program, and the parent’s request centers on asking the school district and YMCA to provide documentation of contracts, oversight and selection procedures.
The trustee meeting record shows the concern raised as part of citizens comments; any formal inquiry or action would require coordination with Lakota School District, the YMCA and potentially the township’s legal or administrative staff.
