City HR Director answers councillors’ Wellness and Rec Center questions

By Neil Zolot

The City of Everett will operate the Wellness Center at the old High School, 548 Broadway, in-house, Acting Human Resources Director and former Director of Youth Development and Enrichment John Russolillo told the City Council at their meeting on Monday, May 12. “The best idea is to run it in-house given the staff we have in the Youth Development and Enrichment Department,” he said. “How the Youth Development and Enrichment budget has evolved is that not a lot of staff is being used at the Recreation Center, on Elm Street, and are in the schools. They’ll also be at the Wellness Center as well. We’ll also be using the Recreation Fund Revolving Account as revenue for the Wellness Center. I’m confident we’ll have enough staff and funding.”

The idea is the result of only one unresponsive bidder answering a Request For Proposals (RFP) to run the Wellness Center. “We issued an RFP to bring in a provider, but only got one bidder,” Russolillo explained. “After we saw the bidder wasn’t responsive, we decided it was in our best interest to run it in-house. What we were getting for responses were proposals predicated on fitness class offerings, not operation of the Wellness Center. We’d like to explore the option of having companies come in and help with classes, but we feel we have the staff and funding to hire staff so the place is open. There will be opportunities for fitness classes to be offered through an RFP process or just an agreement where vendors offer classes as personal training separate from Wellness Center offerings.”

He added that such vendors would be charged rent and additional fees based on class sizes, which would generate revenue for various revolving accounts.

On Tuesday, May 13, Russolillo met with the vendor who responded to the RFP. “They had put on a request we denied, but we wanted to see if their services could be beneficial in some way,” he reported. “It went well and we’re looking to collaborate in a positive way.”

Councillor-at-Large Stephanie Smith took issue with cost estimates to operate the Wellness Center. “It costs more for the City to run it than outsource it because of the benefits you have to pay,” she said.

“It’ll be reduced because we’re not going to have to pay a vendor and there’s a revolving account to cover costs,” Russolillo answered.

He also said there was criticism for issuing an RFP in the past. “We were hearing there shouldn’t be an RFP and we should bring it in-house,” he said. “We’ve taken that into consideration.”

Smith also said, “I want to make sure any activity run through the Recreation Center should not be used to run the Wellness Center. I have a huge problem using the money parents pay for activities. That money should go back to our youth.”

“A lot of our activities are free; if anything, they cost $10,” Russolillo answered. “Any of the ones from the summer camp or summer programs go to separate accounts and get used only for the kids’ programs.”

When Smith said she pays $25 for her children to play basketball, he told her that’s because they play a full season and that money “goes back into the program, and revenue from the Wellness Center goes back to the kids.”

Ward 6 Councillor Peter Pietrantonio asked why the Recreation and Wellness Centers couldn’t be run in the same space. “They’re two different services,” Russolillo answered. “They serve different purposes. The Recreation Center is for youth. It’s not a gym. The Wellness Center is for people [ages] 21-65.”

Pietrantonio countered that if space in the old High School is diverted for 6th and 7th grade school gym, then that part could be used for the Recreation Center after school. “If we cut it up to use for school gym classes, there definitely won’t be enough room,” Russolillo answered.

After the meeting, Russolillo told The Advocate, “There were a number of inconsistencies that have to be corrected. To say the Recreation and Wellness Centers replace one another is completely incorrect. The Recreation Center has job search training and substance abuse counseling. There are athletic programs that attract students in grades 1-8. Another inconsistency is that the Wellness Center is being operated on an emergency procurement; it is not. The center is being run in-house by City staff and is not in any emergency procurement.”

Pietrantonio also wanted to know if Russolillo was appearing as a member of the HR Department or the Youth Development and Enrichment Department. “Since I’m working as HR Director, there’s no Director of Youth Development and Enrichment, which I was not long ago,” Russolillo answered. “HR takes up most of my time, but I’m available for the Youth Development and Enrichment Department when needed.”