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Committee authorizes staff to help Brainerd YMCA seek funding, approves up to $5,000 for consultant RFP
Summary
The Brainerd City Personnel & Finance Committee approved staff collaboration with the Brainerd YMCA to identify funding partners and authorized up to $5,000 toward an outside consultant RFP to build a capital-funding plan for a new YMCA facility.
The Brainerd City Personnel & Finance Committee voted unanimously May 19 to authorize city staff to work with the Brainerd YMCA to identify grant and financing opportunities and to provide up to $5,000 toward an outside consultant RFP to develop a fundraising strategy.
City Administrator Nick Bal told the committee the YMCA is seeking a small, city-supported collaboration — mostly staff time from the administrator’s office and public works — and wants the city to contribute “up to $5,000” to get a consultant RFP on the street so specialists can assemble a capital stack from public, private and philanthropic sources. The committee agreed the requested amount would be unbudgeted and suggested it be paid from the special projects line.
Shane Riffle, executive director of the Brainerd YMCA, described the project as time-sensitive, saying one partner is under a nondisclosure agreement and that new market tax credits — an important component of the financing plan — are expected to be awarded this fall, after which the partners would have only a few months to close financing and begin construction. Riffle said the schematic design estimate for the primary facility was roughly $32 million, and the partners believe they can reduce that to about $24 million.
Riffle also said the YMCA plans a separate indoor multi-field sports complex on the CLC campus, and councilmembers were told two houses on the sports-complex site may need to be removed. The committee invited the YMCA to present its full proposal to the city council so the full body could consider the plan.
The committee approved the staff-collaboration request and the up-to-$5,000 contribution by voice vote. The motion carried and the YMCA will be invited to present to the full council.
