metro >> on the cover

Forum elicited ideas, grassroots support.

Keri Guten Cohen I Story Development Editor

More than 650 people attended the forum.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Community leader Dr. Conrad Giles
served as moderator and set the tone for the
discussion that ensued for three hours.
"We are here to listen to you; he said.
"None of us hoped to have a meeting like
this. It is so emotion-laden, but this is the
right time and place to have this discussion7
Financially it's the right time because
without some relief for
the JCC's debt, both JCC
buildings might have to
close, said Federation
tirr
CEO Scott Kaufman. Both
JCC buildings need repair
and maintenance that one
leader estimated could
cost up to $30 million.
Scott
JPM was built in 1956
Kaufman
and West Bloomfield
opened in 1976. Each has its own issues, lead-
ers said, and closing JPM this May 31 will not
fix all of the JCC's ongoing debt problems.
The JCC's financial woes came to light in
fall 2013 when lay and professional leaders
learned the Center's controller had produced
inaccurate financial reports that overstated
revenues and understated liabilities. A
Financial Oversight Committee was formed
to assess the JCC's financial condition and
oversee its operations.
The committee hired an
outside firm, Financial One
Inc., to examine the JCC's
books over the past several
years, and brought turn-
around expert Jim Issner
on board as interim execu-
tive director. In late spring
2014, Issner and Financial
Jim Issner
One reported the JCC had a
deficit of approximately $6 million.
During 2014, Federation provided about
$4 million (in addition to the JCC's $1.5
million annual allocation) to the JCC to pay
off vendors and reduce the deficit to about
$2.6 million. Fortunately, last year's success-
ful Maccabbi Games (generating around
$800,000 in revenue) and summer camp
program have put the JCC on track to break
even operationally for the 2014/2015 fiscal
year ending May 31.
Federation already has committed 10 per-
cent of its emergency community reserves to
aid the JCC, "and, at some point, it becomes
irresponsible" to do more, Federation CEO
Scott Kaufman told the crowd.

12 January 15 • 2015

And because of the JCC's long-standing
inability to live within its budget, major
donors were not willing to
invest in a "black hole;
said Brian Siegel, JCC
executive committee chair.
Leaders concluded that
"decoupling JPM from
the JCC" may be the only
solution to closing a bud-
Brian Siegel
get gap of $1 million-1.2
million, but first wanted
to hear suggestions from
community members.
At several points, various leaders reiterated
that no one wants to close JPM and that the
decision had not been made to do so.
Kaufman and other leaders also stressed
that people in communities surrounding
JPM are important to Federation.
JPM draws a diverse population — seniors
from Jewish Senior Life apartments on
campus, older Russian immigrants living
nearby, a younger Jewish generation settling
into Detroit's older suburbs and Jews of all
streams, including the Orthodox who enjoy
separate fitness and swimming times that
respect Jewish modesty laws.
JPM has 1,200 member units and 99
employees; the West Bloomfield JCC has
2,500 member units.
"Since first grade, I have lived in this
neighborhood," said Kaufman of Huntington
Woods. "This community is a high priority
for our Federation. It is a strong and growing
community and not in decline7

Public Comment

Before turning to people at two microphones
ready to comment, Oak Park Mayor Marian
McClellan spoke. "This building has been a
cherished community asset. We have faith in
what you will come up with for us. The city
stands ready to do what it can to help this
building and the Jewish Community Center7
More than 25 people offered public com-
ment, waiting patiently for
their two minutes to talk All
opposed closing JPM. Some
had suggestions; others were
critical and challenging; some
merely spoke passionately
about what the Oak Park JCC
means to them.
Aaron Tobin of Oak Park
started an online petition to
save JPM that drew 650 names.

"There's a haimishe attitude at JPM," he
said. All Jews get along here. It's like family.
This is our gathering spot; it's more than a
building7
Jordan Wolfe, who helped develop
CommunityNEXT (precursor to Federation's
NEXTGen division), said that eight out of
10 young people who move back to Detroit
will settle in the Woodward corridor near
JPM. "That's the level of importance of this
location; he said, adding that JPM needs
upgrading to attract this next generation.
Others were more critical of Federation
and JCC leaders.
Pearlena Bodzin of West Bloomfield asked,
"Why should people here be punished for the
mistakes of JCC people?"
A man asked, "Where was the board when
all this was happening?"
Alan Hitsky of Southfield asked how much
could be saved if the Max M. Fisher Building
on Telegraph in Bloomfield Township was
sold and its offices were moved to JPM?
Another person had read a JN story about
plans for a Partners Detroit building to be
built in Royal Oak for young adults and
asked why JPM couldn't be the place instead.
Paul Levine complained there was no mar-
keting for JPM and said leaders should try
to grow membership before closing the Oak
Park JCC. He also suggested "this meeting
should be held in West Bloomfied, too:'
Rivka Schochet of West Bloomfield said
she drives to JPM because it offers gender-
specific swim times and exercise classes
— something she can't find anywhere else,
including at the West Bloomfield facility.
"We want the privacy this JCC provides;
Schochet said. "This is a unique facility This
is a Jewish community center. This is what
has to remain:'
Ruth Williams, who works at JPM, said,
"We need many people to be little angels
with money, passion and knowledge7 She
presented a check for $1,000 to Florine Mark,
JCC president, who grew tearful and said,

Federation/JCC leaders: Jim Issner,
Florine Mark, Brian Siegel, Scott

Kaufman and Matt Lester.

"We need to save this
building:'
At the end of the meet-
ing, there was a sense that
a grassroots effort could
grow and preserve JPM.
Matt Lester, chair of the
JCC Oversight Committee,
Marcy
went
into the crowd col-
Feldman
lecting names of those
interested in helping.
"It was a good meeting; said Marcy
Feldman, who was part of a group that raised
funds to add a pool and fitness club at JPM.
"They really listened, and they saw the ener-
gy and passion and want to be engaged in
doing something together. I feel encouraged7

Programming

Federation/JCC leaders say current program-
ming would continue at other venues or at the
JPM building under different control. Only the
fitness club and pool would be affected.
"We're running 40 programs at JPM;
every single program has been reviewed;
Brian Siegel told the JN. "The JCC Futures
Committee, headed by Rob Lippitt, ranked
programs for financial and mission impact.
"The conclusion was that none of the pro-
grams lose more than a few thousand dollars.
Shutting down all of the programs would
only save $50,000 and we believe that money
is being well-spent in the community:'
Issner told the JN, "We are not walking
away from the Oak Park constituency. All
of the funding for that programming con-
tinues. It could just be delivered at one of
the many other buildings in that area, like
Congregation Shaarey Zedek, for example, or
maybe even out of the JPM building itself'
Kaufman says the building will stay Jewish
and serve the community
"There's been some interest among a num-
ber of entities to take some or all of it — or
portions of the programming — and maybe
reclaim some of the old uses with just a dif-
ferent name on the door; he told the JN.
At press time, he was not at liberty to dis-
cuss potential partners for the building.
"The challenge for us is how to provide
quality programming in the neighborhood
at a price the community can live with and
do it in a way that is high-quality and cost-
effective. We're not there yet7

Contributing Writers Julie Edgar and Esther

Allweiss Ingber added to this story.

