Kalona resident rates at the Kalona YMCA will go up effective Jan. 1, 2020.

Washington County YMCA CEO Amy Schulte presented the proposed rate increase to the Kalona City Council at its Nov. 4 meeting.

“Looking toward 2020 and doing our budgeting, we considered looking at a rate increase,” Schulte said. “It’s about a 3% increase for each of the levels. These rates will go into effect for anyone who either starts a membership after Jan. 1, 2020, or has a renewal.”

She went on to explain that because most of the Kalona resident members joined in August, September and October, those members will not see an increase until their renewals come due later in the year.

The rate increases are:

• Kalona adults from $136 to $140 annually.

• Kalona families from $214 to $220 annually.

• Kalona seniors from $72 to $75 annually.

• Kalona senior families from $136 to $140 annually.

Kalona residents are offered the discounted rates as part of the management agreement between the city and the YMCA for the Kalona Community Center.

The rate increase needed the approval of the City Council, which approved the hike unanimously.

“Our agreement is that the City Council controls the rates for the city of Kalona,” City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh said.

Schulte explained that the rate increase was necessary because of increased costs managing the facility.

“Part of the reason for doing this was that since the facility has been open, we started off with a part-time maintenance person who worked about three hours a day,” she said. “Now, we have the equivalent of a person and a half on our maintenance staff because there’s so much activity in the facility, especially in the wintertime.”

She said that they have also added child watch staff and plan to expand that. They have also brought on additional fitness instructors and front desk staff.

“We’ve taken on additional costs because of the growth that we’ve had,” Schulte said.