CenClub to Implement Uniform Monthly Fee for Village Residents

CenClub, the organization responsible for managing recreational activities in the Village, is introducing a new standardized monthly fee for all residents, effective January 2025. The uniform fee of $110.00 per month will replace the current system, where residents pay varying amounts, ranging from $99.50 to $111.00. While this change will increase costs for some and reduce them for others, it aims to bring consistency and fairness to the Village’s fee structure, say CenClub officials.

For years, the fee amounts appeared to be applied almost randomly across the Village, leading to confusion. Residents living in neighboring units within the same building often paid different amounts for recreation services. These discrepancies were not based on unit size or any clear factors. Even CenClub officials are unsure why the Village’s founding documents set varying rates for different units.

"Just about everyone in the Village pays different things for recreation. Why? No one that is alive could ever figure that out," said Rita Pickar, President of CenClub. "If you look at the original documents that we go by, you'll see in there a chart that goes by the size of your apartment. But that makes no sense. Somebody who has a one-bedroom uses the clubhouse as much as someone who has a two-bedroom."

The new uniform rate will generate approximately $500,000 in additional annual revenue. According to CenClub, this increase is necessary to cover rising costs, including higher insurance premiums, inflation, and the general cost of maintaining the Village's recreational facilities.

“Part of the reason for the increase is inflation. It costs a lot more to operate [the Clubhouse] than it did 15 years ago, or whenever was the last coupon,” said Mike Burdman, Executive Director of CenClub. “I've been here seven years in November, and I don't know the last time the coupon was raised, but everything else went up.”

The new $110.00 monthly fee will take effect in January 2025, simplifying the fee structure and ensuring that all residents pay the same amount, regardless of unit size. CenClub hopes this change will create a more equitable system while addressing the financial pressures associated with operating its village facilities and services.