Annual YMCA membership renewed for city employees

http://www.dailycal.org/2012/07/18/annual-fitness-membership-renewed-for-city-employees/

Berkeley City Council renewed approximately $199,296 in funding for annual YMCA fitness memberships for city employees at its meeting Tuesday night.

The city has offered memberships to employees at the Downtown Berkeley YMCA since 1989, and according to the agenda item, the city labor contract is required to cover 75 percent of the membership fees while city employees pay 25 percent of the total membership amount.

According to YMCA Membership Services Director Albert Chan, though the number of memberships has dropped from 357 to 346 in the last fiscal year, the city will now pay $48 per membership, up $1.50 from last year due to hikes in fees at the YMCA.

At its June 26 meeting, the council unanimously voted to adopt the biennial city budget update to close an estimated $1.8 million deficit for the upcoming year, allowing fiscal year 2013 to begin with a balanced budget.

According to the city budget update report, the budget gap will be closed through loan adjustments and cost reductions, some of which might lead to eliminating approximately 22 full-time equivalent city staff positions.

In general, Berkeley residents themselves are advocates for employee benefits like YMCA memberships.

However, Councilmember Gordon Wozniak said he does not believe such benefits are necessary under the current budget circumstances for the city.

“I oppose the city subsidizing its employee memberships in the YMCA at this time when the city is cutting back on vital services, reducing staffing as well as reducing funding for community programs,” Wozniak said in an email. “City of Berkeley employees are well paid and can afford to pay for their gym memberships.”

**Opinion**

I agree with Councilmember Gordon Wozniak. A perk such as membership for the YMCA should not take precedence over cut backs on vital services and funding for programs. Especially, social welfare services. As I've said in the past, City employees are compensated generously and I don't believe such should be continued in a time of financial uncertainty.