Board defends plan to sell skating rink

The board meeting of the Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country drew a crowd of concerned citizens who were worried by news that the club was selling the roller rink on Shady Lane in Evergreen.

About 19 people attended the open forum part of the board meeting on Wednesday, held in hopes that Boys and Girls Club board members and Executive Director Cindy Hooker could provide clarity and answers to questions that have been stirring within the community and on social media.

The club, which has locations in Evergreen and Columbia Falls, has undergone big changes in the past few months that have caused apprehensiveness, namely the board’s recent decision to sell the skating rink facility, which has served as the Evergreen clubhouse and Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country headquarters since 2005. The roller rink building is currently on the market for $425,000.

People attending the meeting were also concerned about the financial health of the organization and the impact selling the rink would have on the club’s bottom line.

While the roller rink generates revenue, that revenue is used to pay rink staff, cover concession costs, utilities and the mortgage, board members explained.

Board chairwoman Naomi Morrison also relayed that

there just isn’t the manpower for the volunteer board and executive director to adequately manage rink facilities, concessions and staff in addition to the Boys and Girls Club staff at the two locations on top of supervising children.

In addition to finances, board members said the other primary reason for selling the rink is to return the focus on the club’s original mission to provide educational and recreational opportunities to children and teens in a safe environment after school.

“The roller rink, while established under the Boys and Girls Club, is not part of our mission, and it would not affect the Boys and Girls Club’s mission of providing after-school programming if we sell the building,” Morrison said.

Kalispell resident Eddy Fish asked if there was a way to stipulate the facility continues to be operated as a roller rink if sold. A woman in the audience also suggested approaching a roller-derby club, which board members were open to.

“We don’t want this not to be a roller rink. It’s been part of the community for years,” board member Jeremy Presta said, but he reiterated the desire to dedicate the club’s focus back to running after-school programs.

Morrison later added, “While we hope whoever purchases this building will run it as a roller rink in the future we cannot promise that is going to happen ... But to keep the after-school program afloat, open and available to our community, we have to sell this building.”

To operate both the Evergreen and Columbia Falls clubhouses costs approximately $400,000 a year. The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country’s revenue is generated through grants, donations, fundraisers and membership dues that are often covered in-kind for families who cannot afford it.

“Even if every child paid $50 a month for the 10 months of our after-school program, we would bring in less than a quarter of what we need to pay expenses,” Morrison said.

THE BOARD’S hope is to move the Evergreen club back into Evergreen schools. The Evergreen School District has been approached by the Boys and Girls Club, but a definite proposal may not be available for several months. Currently, the Columbia Falls location does a combination of using school facilities after school for an hour or two, then moving activities to a building owned by The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country.

There were also questions about Evergreen losing a $60,000 grant because the application wasn’t turned in. The club does not have a dedicated grant writer and the responsibility would have fallen on the previous executive director. Hooker took over in the executive director position in the summer following the resignation of Alan Sempf. Vice chairwoman Jill Seigmund emphasized that now was not the time to point fingers, but to move on in a positive direction. The board is currently seeking private funding to make up for the loss.

“We are all volunteers with full-time jobs and families, but we have dedicated countless hours and invested our own money to support Boys and Girls Club,” Morrison said.

Earlier Morrison had also addressed a question that had been brought up previously by Chris Weigand, who was recently terminated as the roller-rink manager, about where donations went that were meant to purchase new roller skates and why the company that sold the skates had to send the bill to a collection agency.

“Our debt to a roller-skate vendor has been a popular discussion item on social media and I would like you to know that this debt has now been paid in full,” Morrison said.

Weigand, who has been unsatisfied with board accountability said he wanted each member to resign.

The roller rink is still operating, but Kaylee Jukich-Fish of Evergreen questioned the roller rink’s new policy that children under 12 must be supervised by an adult. Seigmund clarified that the adult can be a person 17 or older. Jukich-Fish thought the policy would turn away the roller rink’s key age group and impact rink revenue, but the board members said it had not done so.

“I used to work here. I’ve grown up here ever since I was a little girl. A lot of our audience or people that would come here were under 12 and parents would drop them off to let them skate,” Jukich-Fish said.

The policy was a response to safety and liability concerns, according to board members. It was noted that parents dropped off children reportedly as young as 3 years old. Morrison said the policy encourages a more family-oriented atmosphere.

“We hold the liability of this rink. The staff does not — we do,” Seigmund said.

One parent suggested lowering the age requirement for supervision, saying her 11- and 10-year-old children were capable of supervising themselves.

“I understand a 3-year-old shouldn’t be dropped off, but it should not affect the whole community,” the woman said. “This is a safe place for kids. That is what Boys and Girls Club is designed for. You take in kids not from great homes and make them better. I thought that was the whole point of Boys and Girls Club. By cutting them off at 12 years old you are leaving those 12-year-old and under kids out there to run the streets. That’s wrong.”

The woman’s statement drew applause and appeared to hit a nerve.

“That’s my biggest concern,” Evergreen resident Colleen Jukich said. “You’re kicking these kids back out onto the streets. We have nothing for young people in this valley at all.”

“So are you interested to buy the roller rink and take on the liability,” Morrison asked.

“I can’t afford to buy it, ma’am,” Jukich said.

“OK, we can’t either, and we do not want the liability of the roller rink anymore,” Morrison responded, and reiterated once again, “As a club, our focus is on the after-school program and that is it.”

Earlier, Seigmund had elaborated on her remark on wanting to move in a positive direction.

“We need to move on in a positive direction. This is about the kids. It’s not about roller skating. It’s about the kids and how we can serve them. That’s why I’m here. That’s why we’re all here. And so we share that. I think we really need to focus on what we all have in common here,” Seigmund said. “So we’re asking all of you here, if you share these values with us, to help us move forward. We’ll take your donations, we’ll take your volunteer time, we’ll take your intellect and your ideas.”

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.