The Meridian Service Metropolitan District held its monthly board meeting Jan. 8. Active older adult class expansion at the YMCA, Eagle Scout projects and improved on-time payment of water bills were discussed.Marti Wallner, senior director of the Meridian Ranch YMCA, told the board that the child watch program has seen increases in usage even before the January New Yearís resolution rush. ìIt’s a new trend for us to see more dads dropping off the kids in the afternoon,î Wallner said.ìWe’re really excited about our active older adult programs,î Wallner said. ìAn increase in usage has led to an increase in classes. Using the subsidies we get from Silver Sneakers, we added another step class for them and a circuit class. We will be doing a treadmill boot camp, which has been highly successful at other YMCAs.îBoard members asked Wallner about building maintenance at the recreation center. ìWe have a couple things we need to address but overall we’re good,î Wallner said. ìI’d say we’re sure a lot better than we were a year ago.î New flat screen televisions for the gym were scheduled to arrive in January.District manager Tim Hunker told the board that an Eagle Scout candidate is offering to add a new walking trail bench and shelter. ìThis is a great thing, it’s a great way for us to partner with the community,î said Doug Woods, Meridian Ranch developer. The bench and shelter will add to a series of similar shelters and benches built by the scout troop.Hunker and district staff reported that there have only been two billing-related water shut-offs in the last three months. The 90-day late billings are down to 3 percent of homeowners, compared to as much as 23 percent of the community (which occurred during the height of the recession). ìWe don’t have to write it off, it becomes a lien on the property,î said Jim Hunsaker, metro district attorney. ìEven if we shut the water off, whatever is owed stays with the property because we have a contractual right to get the money from the person, but we have a statutory right to the property. So we always get paid.îPlans for the indoor pool were submitted to Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Woods said. Construction on sewer lines and other site preparation will likely begin in February, so the site will be ready when the general contractor is selected.Woods said the developer and builders are seeing a manpower shortage for building trades. ìManpower in the world around here is still very tight,î Woods said. ìWe thought the sewer water company could do three different areas at once, but they only have one crew. We could keep three crews busy, and that’s just one subdivision. It’s terrible since everyone cut back when it got slow. All the older guys retired and all the younger hotshots work for Home Depot now.îThe next metro district meeting is scheduled for Feb. 5 at the Meridian Ranch YMCA.
