YMCA Board authorizes work teams to move forward on assignments

The board of the Ponca City Aquatic and Family Center – YMCA on Monday held its second special meeting in a week to work on critical issues at the center.

Chaired by Past President Jill Klein in the absence of Board President Joel Gilliland, who was out of the country for work, the board accepted the letters of resignation from six top staff members. The resignations were accepted on the dates specified in each letter.

The board also approved the minutes of its April 25 special meeting.

In that meeting, the board had approved a plan to set up work teams to address priority matters in an attempt to begin a path forward for the YMCA.  Board members were assigned to work teams dealing with operations; potential hiring of new employees; contracts and legal concerns; accounting and budgeting; and fund raising.

On Monday, the board formally approved these work teams and voted to give the teams the authority to move forward in their work assignments.

In discussion,  the board was reminded of the structure established by Y-USA, the national YMCA organization. By charter, local YMCA branches must operate with a Board of Directors; a CEO; and certified staff members.

Board members approved authorizing the Operations team to identify an appropriate candidate to serve as an interim CEO. Salary would be determined by the full board, with input of Joni Welles with Y-USA.

Link Cotham, serving on the accounting and budget work group, recommended that the board hire Ponca City accountant Mark Kremeier to perform the YMCA’s 2016 audit.

Cotham also recommended Sherri Kremeier to work on an hourly basis to process the YMCA payroll and act as liaison with PayCom, which issues paychecks and pays the facility’s bills.

Another firm would have to be hired to audit the YMCA’s books for 2017 as Mark Kremeier would perform the routine 2017 bookkeeping, coordinating payroll and payment of bills. Board member Art Mire said the accrual basis of  accounting should be done for each monthly statement.

The board approved the plans.

The board returned to the discussion on giving the committees authority to proceed as necessary, and decided priorities for the staffing section as finding an interim CEO and appropriate certified staffing for the day care with a certified master teacher needed for the last portion of the school year.

The YMCA, on May 10, would be out of compliance without a CEO and a certified day care master teacher, with eight more days of school. Board members discussed several possible candidates or sources to contact to find a certified master teacher for that time.

Mire recommended the board consider approval for Guy Clark to act as legal counsel.

Clark’s responsibilities would include opining on Addendum 3, an amendment to the operating contract for the facility, which would include an agreement with the City of Ponca City and Eastman National Bank for a line of equity to help the board establish a better financial situation. He also would represent the Y locally on a lawsuit with the contractor.

Mire’s motion was approved.

In new business not specified on the board’s agenda, board members discussed the need to make the YMCA staff more responsive to inquiries and complaints from members or potential members of the Y.

Dr. Jane Thomason said she has found several people who have wanted to talk to her about their problems with the local Y.

“We need to change basic communication with the Y,” she said. “People are worried about the facility.”

Thomason and other board members talked about making a punch list of repairs that need to be made, as well as developing a system to make sure that all callers’ messages are delivered and get a response from a staff member.

Board member Eric Newell recommended contacting Joni Welle with Y-USA for a monthly facility checklist and then having all staff members help find and correct problems.

The panel also voted to remove the four past signers from the YMCA bank accounts and replace them with the current board president, past president, future president and Sherry Kreimeier. In other banking matters, the board discussed moving a $50,000 CD from First National Bank to Eastman National Bank.

Payroll for the month would be covered by deposits made on May 5, and if the board approves a line of credit at Eastman National Bank on May 16, other bills would be paid the next day.

Current bylaws state the board must have between nine and 11 board members; it currently has nine members. The board discussed changing the number of members to between seven and 11 members, but ultimately decided to postpone any decision until checking with Y-USA and discussing the idea with legal counsel.

The designated working groups will continue working on their assignments until the board’s next meeting, which will be at 3:30 p.m. May 16.