When a representative with the out-of-state, for-profit company angling to replace the Sherwood YMCA said, "Our objective is not to come in here and change something for change sake or try to fix something that's not broke," the crowd was having none of it.
"Then why are you even here?" someone called out.
Angry residents packed City Hall for last week's Sherwood City Council meeting. They came to show support for the Sherwood YMCA and hear the third revision of financial projections from HealthFitness, the company that wants to manage the city's recreation and aquatic center.
After first predicting a $1.5 million operating loss over five years, HealthFitness was invited by the City Council to resubmit financials and showed, in the second version, only a $480,000 loss. Last week, they revised their numbers a third time to show a nearly $600,000 profit.
What accounts for this miraculous turnaround? The proposal doesn't raise prices but uses a new formula to calculate how many memberships will be at child, adult or family rates.
Residents and some City Councilors were skeptical about the immaculate computation, particularly since if there is a loss, it's the city, not HealthFitness, paying the bill.
As Councilor Jennifer Kuiper pointed out, "If you are confident in these projections then I'm hoping you'll give serious consideration, as part of the contract, to protect the city from operational losses."
The crowd erupted in applause.
The company's projections rely on steady 5 percent membership growth year-over-year for five years. Arch Hasler, vice president of business development and consulting, said HealthFitness averages between 3 percent and 5 percent growth at other facilities.
He said 5 percent was a goal and compared it to his kids aiming for straight As. "If they come home with a B-plus average, I'm still going to be pleased."
During the citizen comments portion of the meeting, resident Tim Rosener, who recently retired from a software company that provides financial systems to local governments, called those financial estimates "bogus."
"You guys can't budget, you can't plan, on aspirational goals," Rosener told the Council. "You have to plan on reality."
HealthFitness' membership goals seem to assume the YMCA walks away from Sherwood, which is unlikely after all this. I asked Mark Burris, chief operating officer, whether the YMCA would consider still offering services, classes or potentially even another facility in the area.
"The overwhelming support of the Sherwood community confirms our members and neighbors are just as committed to us as we are to them," he responded in email. "The YMCA won't let them down. We will find ways to serve Sherwood on a smaller scale with the people, programs and values they know and love."
Citizens remained baffled by the proposal scoring process in which three council members ranked HealthFitness as the best agency to run the rec center. In August, Mayor Krisanna Clark-Endicott explained her ranking by saying the increase in cost to the city would come with an increase in services.
"I was not daunted by the HealthFitness proposal, with their unbelievable proposal of options and the value that they were going to give to the citizens of the city of Sherwood, I was not surprised that that might come at a cost," Clark-Endicott said. "Well, yes, it might. There might be a cost but that's why we have taxpayer dollars. To provide services. We're not here for a net zero, we're here to provide quality services."
First off: The city does need to have a balanced budget - a "net zero," if you will - and the city currently has no budget to cover any losses.
Secondly, what are these "unbelievable" options? The HealthFitness proposal budgets for 26 senior-oriented classes and 52 group classes a week; the YMCA currently offers 41 senior classes and 86 group classes weekly. If the company thinks volunteers will lead additional classes, it's doubtful.
Judy Lawrence, a Sherwood grandmother and Y member, had a chance to say something to the HealthFitness team as they hastily left after their presentation.
"I just said, 'You say you're going to increase the (membership) numbers. For your information, I have not talked to one Y member that will continue at the facility if you take it over,'" Lawrence said. "He just grinned at me and gave me a stupid look."
Meanwhile, the recall petition to remove the HealthFitness supporters -Clark-Endicott and councilors Sally Robinson and Jennifer Harris - has turned in its first batch of signatures. Petitioners need 1,029 signatures for each recall; so far they have 1,211 for Clark-Endicott, 1,158 for Robinson and 1,095 for Harris, still to be verified. They continue to collect more.
The recall petition also claims Clark-Endicott is no longer a full-time resident of Sherwood. In July, she married Redmond Mayor George Endicott during a ceremony at the end of the Oregon Mayors Association conference.
During public comment, Endicott spoke at last week's Sherwood City Council meeting to defend his wife.
"Much to my chagrin, Krisanna does not live in Redmond... We have led a commuter relationship and we are now living a commuter marriage," he said. "I am disgusted by a small set of Sherwood, I assume Sherwood, residents. Their ugly attacks really reflect on their character, not on Krisanna's."
But he did not speak to the couple's future plans. A story broadcast on the Bend TV program, "Central Oregon Daily" reported, "They will remain the mayors of two cities for now, 150 miles apart, but soon they'll be together full time as they start their new lives in Redmond."
How soon is that? Clark-Endicott would not comment after the meeting and did not respond to an email asking about her residency. Her son is already at Redmond's Ridgeview High School, where he's listed on the roster of the freshman football team.
If you don't live in Sherwood - and maybe if you do - you're wondering why we got to this point. I wish I had a better answer than this: In a small town, there is little division between the personal and the political. Having lived and reported in rural communities for years, I've been amazed by how many million-dollar decisions are decided by grudges, whims and petty feuds. With Clark-Endicott uninterested in commenting and public records requests still pending, I can only consider what dozens and dozens of Sherwood residents have told me: It's not about money, it's not about HealthFitness. It's simply personal.
To be fair, HealthFitness is in an impossible position. They have walked into a war not of their making. The fault does not lie with them.
It will lie with the Councilors who as of now are scheduled to vote on the HealthFitness contract Oct. 3.
-- Samantha Swindler
@editorswindler / 503-294-4031
sswindler@oregonian.com