Dayton YMCA will manage local facilities

CELINA - The YMCA of Greater Dayton will manage The Auglaize/Mercer Counties Family YMCA facilities under a new agreement.

The local YMCA's board of directors recently voted unanimously to partner with the Dayton organization, rather than hire a new CEO. Under the agreement, which takes effect Aug. 1, YMCA of Greater Dayton will provide management services to the local association including executive leadership; human resources, financial and program development; and marketing and property management.

The North Branch YMCA in Celina, the South Branch YMCA in Minster, the Life Enrichment Center in St. Marys and the New Bremen Learning Center in New Bremen are covered by the agreement.

The local YMCA had been pursuing a nationwide CEO search since September when longtime CEO Allen Baskett announced his retirement. The organization is being headed by interim CEO Lowell Nees, who will return to retirement after the agreement takes effect in August.

The contract will be renewable in six-month increments. The local branch's costs will depend on the services they choose to tap through YMCA of Greater Dayton, Nees said.

Nees told the newspaper Thursday that local Y officials had considered many different candidates. However, as board members continued to look at options, they found a partnership with the YMCA of Greater Dayton would bring more resources and expertise to the local facilities than a new CEO would.

Local board president Christine Purdy said YMCAs across the country have a long history of partnerships, and the agreement with the YMCA of Greater Dayton would give local branches access to a larger pool of staff than they could otherwise support. The Dayton branch has similar partnerships with several other YMCAs, Purdy said.