Center flounders, $135K in the red

Everything is not coming up roses for the Center of Anna Maria Island as the calendar shifts to February.

The center’s year-to-date net income is in the red to the tune of $135,000, with $235,000 in revenue and $370,000 in expenses since the fiscal year began July 1, 2016.

Kristen Lessig, executive director of the Center of Anna Maria Island, called a Jan. 23 meeting at the center to update the community on center affairs, but only one center member, Susan Little, attended.

Lessig told Little the center’s income is 26 percent below budget and expenses are 6 percent over budget.

The problem stems from a lack of government support, Lessig said, as well as difficulty balancing program expenses while keeping fees low.

Lessig said governments in Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have not provided the center with funds this fiscal year.

“People assume their tax dollars must be supporting this place. Not so,” said Lessig.

The city of Anna Maria provides a $1-per-year land lease for the organization based on a long-ago donation of the property to the city by the school district when Anna Maria Elementary School was relocated to Holmes Beach.

Anna Maria’s 2016-17 fiscal budget includes $20,000 for donations, but the city commission has yet to approve disbursement to the center.

Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon said the city of Bradenton Beach placed a check for $5,000 to the center in the mail in the past week, but added he opposed the donation due to the center’s lack of financial disclosure.

Holmes Beach commissioners heard Lessig’s presentation on the finances at their Jan. 24 meeting but asked for “time to digest all of this.”

Chair Judy Titsworth suggested the city could consider funding projects and commissioners agreed to move the discussion to a future work session.

Lessig told Little, the only attendee at the community meeting aside from media, the center’s financial system was overhauled in recent months, providing staff a better picture of center use.

What did it reveal? The most popular programs at the center are its biggest financial losers. Sports, the center’s most popular program area, lost $142,000, while the fitness and youth programs, second and third most popular, lost $72,000 each.

The bulk of expenses came from direct and indirect staffing, including salaries of class leaders, front desk and janitorial help, Lessig said. Program fees only typically cover the cost of equipment.

She also said fundraising made up 88 percent of the center’s income thus far in the fiscal year.

The rest of the center income came mostly from memberships. Since July, the center sold 1,173 memberships, including day passes, monthly and yearly memberships and one lifetime membership.

Despite the center’s deep dip into the red, Lessig said community support and donations to the center “are coming back.”

“There is a need for what we’re doing or we wouldn’t be here,” she said.

From November to Dec. 31, 2016, the center held a challenge to match a $50,000 anonymous donation. Although final numbers won’t be declared until the next board meeting, the center reached the $50,000 goal, earning another $100,000 in income, which was included in the year-to-date report delivered at the community meeting.

Little said she supports the center’s efforts. “I’ve been here since 2000 and I’ve seen tremendous changes. You’re doing a good job to keep up with a lot of changes that are pretty drastic,” she told Lessig. “I’m glad I came to see this.”

The Islander’s records requests for November and December 2016 financial statements from Lessig and board chair Bill Shuman were unsuccessful.

A center board of directors meeting, including a review of the year-end financials and a change in accounting firms, will be at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, after The Islander goes to press. The meeting will be at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.