The Kalona City Council met December 4. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

The Kalona City Council is headed towards making the Kalona Community Center an official YMCA branch after their recent meeting.

City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh discussed the matter of YMCA signage in the new community center, and asked the council if making the facility an official YMCA branch was the direction they want to go. Schlabaugh says the city will be sent signing options next week, one of which to brand the exterior as the Kalona Community Center, while having the interior be branded for the Y.

Washington County YMCA Interim CEO Amy Schulte said at the council meeting the new agreement would promote Kalona Program Director Marcus Hall to Branch Director, “It does give Marcus the benefit of being elevated to that branch director position. It gives the members who are full branch members of the YMCA, [to] have the ability to use the nationwide reciprocity. So they can use the YMCA across the nation at no additional cost.”

The subsidized membership rates for Kalona residents will stay the same as the taxpayer voted bond is still being paid out, but that rate will apply for those using the Kalona branch only. An official contract will not be brought up until January 1, 2018, according to Schlabaugh.