By Sara StrongSioux Valley submitted a proposal to the city of Luverne and Rock County that, if signed, would mean Sioux Valley Regional Health Services would be paid $25,000 to manage the Rock County Community Pool and Fitness Center.The proposal is still categorized as a "working document," and it hasn?t yet been discussed by the full boards of the city or county. The proposal outlines how the relationship would work between Sioux Valley, the county and the city of Luverne.Ownership would still remain public. Sioux Valley would be an "independent contractor" of the city and county. However, the proposal says that the Sioux Valley logo would appear on the building and in its printed materials, such as letterheads.There is already a Pool Commission made up of members from the city, and county board as well as citizens. Sioux Valley said it would also like to form a Community Advisory Committee, which will be made of facility members consulting on programs at the facility.Sioux Valley?s proposal said it will provide an executive director, who won?t be an on-site, full-time employee. The executive director has the authority to hire and fire facility staff. The director would be hired by Sioux Valley and under the responsibility of Sioux Valley, although the county and city can give input on approval or disapproval of the director?s performance.Before the proposal came, when they were first talking about the possibility, the City Council and Rock County Board said they were looking forward to a relationship with an organization that could bring many positive changes to the Pool and Fitness Center.Some of those additional positives are outlined in the proposal in the form of consultation services and cost-saving programs.Sioux Valley has a group purchasing program that could save the facility money in materials and in support services and special programs, including value analysis teams, educational seminars and comparative statistics and studies.Sioux Valley can also provide consultation that could help the facility in areas such as management, personnel, planning and marketing.Sioux Valley included a "first right of refusal" in its proposal. That means that in the event that the city and county receive an offer to purchase the facility, Sioux Valley has the chance to purchase the property at the same price and on the same terms as the other offer.The county and city don?t have to approve the proposal as it came to them from Sioux Valley. It can be changed over time before all parties agree on any management contract.Not the first attempt at new managementLast year at about this time, the Pool and Fitness Center was accepting proposals to either manage or own the facility. The Rock County Board of Commissioners and the Luverne City Council decided to request proposals that would allow another party to either management, lease or purchase the facility. The Pool and Fitness Center had raised its rates 20 percent, and the county and city were each subsidizing the operation $72,000. Advertising that they were open to new options was an effort to save taxpayer money and increase membership satisfaction.The requests for proposals didn?t get any formal responses, although Sioux Valley and MC Fitness, Worthington, initially were interested. After the time to accept proposals was passed, Sioux Valley asked to submit one. The county was interested, but city of Luverne said the process had dragged on, and it was no longer interested at that time.
