Hogan YMCA sees 75 percent less funding from city

The Hogan Family YMCA will see even less help from the city this year after annual funding dipped to $25,000. (Record Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter

Among other things, the Madison City Council on July 28 approved $25,000 to the Hogan Family YMCA on Hughes Road. The amount was $75,000 less than the yearly promises the Council made in 2008, when the facility was being built.

The original amount that was appropriated in 2008 was $1 million to be paid in $100,000 increments over 10 years. Last year, the Council pledged $50,000 before it was again lowered to $25,000.

Members of the Council and Mayor Troy Trulock had an array of disagreements over the funding. While Trulock affirmed his commitment to the city’s support of the YMCA, District 2 Councilman Steve Smith wondered aloud why the city would continue to give funds to a private entity.

“The YMCA is a nonprofit charity providing services to the residents of Madison that would otherwise have to be provided by government or go unmet,” said Heart of the Valley YMCA Board Chairman Scott Seeley when reached for comment. Seeley pointed to the $293,800 in memberships and programs provided to Madison residents, including 80 police officers and firefighters.

Services were also provided to 1,751 Madison service men and women for three months prior to and after deployment. Seeley also mentioned the space provided by the YMCA for civic events and the Madison Chamber of Commerce.

Smith and District 6 Councilman Gerald Clark were the dissenting votes, however, on the 5-2 decision to award the YMCA the planned amount of $25,000. Smith and Clark maintained the YMCA branch is a private business receiving taxpayer money, with Smith pointing out the city doesn’t prop up other businesses like Wal-Mart.

“The Y is a nonprofit, locally-funded charity with a mission to provide services even when individuals can’t afford to pay for them, and Walmart is an international, for-profit retail business,” Seeley said. “The Y is unique among private health centers in Madison in that other centers do not offer subsidized or free memberships to those in need.”

He added the YMCA has not decided on any specific reduction of services in light of fewer tax dollars.