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CA passes two-year trial period for senior citizen discount

The Columbia Association will try out a senior citizen discount on memberships to its pools, gyms and other facilities for Columbia residents 65 and older, giving at least 10 percent off during what the CA board decided will be a two-year trial period.

That trial period, adopted Thursday by a 6-2 vote, will run for the 2013 and 2014 fiscal years; the 2013 fiscal year begins May 1, 2012.

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The discount will be a minimum of 10 percent — CA staff were given the leeway to opt for more — and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

"This is basic stuff that everybody's doing these days," said board member Gregg Schwind, who represents Hickory Ridge. "We're way behind on this one. I think it's the right thing to do."

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CA had a discount until a few years ago, offering 15 percent off new memberships for adults age 65 and older.

Rob Goldman, the association's chief operating officer, noted that CA is at a marketing disadvantage by no longer having that discount and favored bringing a similar deal back.

"I'd be comfortable going to 20 or 25 percent to attract people to CA," he said. After that, he said, those new customers could learn about the association's income-qualified discount, which is 75 percent off outdoor pools memberships and 50 percent off all other memberships — and which two-thirds percent of those 65 and older qualify for, according to census data.

He had repeatedly cautioned the board that giving discounts to senior citizens on all memberships, not just new members, could prove costly.

Annual CA fees range from $210 for an individual outdoor pool membership to $3,168 for an unlimited membership at the Hobbit's Glen golf course. The most popular memberships are the Package Plan Plus membership for numerous facilities, which costs $918, and memberships to one fitness club, which costs $552.

The number of CA members 65 and older is 3,201, or 5.1 percent of the total membership.

Giving 10 percent off across-the-board would cost CA about $62,000 the first year and increase to an estimated $112,500 a year by 2020.

Voting in favor were Michael Cornell of River Hill, Alex Hekimian of Oakland Mills, Phil Kirsch of Wilde Lake, Andrew Stack of Owen Brown, Suzanne Waller of Town Center and Shari Zaret of Kings Contrivance. Voting against were Ed Coleman of Long Reach and Cynthia Coyle of Harper's Choice.

Tom Coale of Dorsey's Search was not present at the meeting, and Schwind, who had been participating in the meeting via telephone, departed before the vote.

Coyle said she opposed the discount as not financially prudent. "I think it potentially can harm us," she said.

Zaret disagreed: "I don't think we need to be scared about the effect on our next budget. I have faith in the professionals on our staff to be able to handle whatever modifications need to be made."

She added: "This seems to be something that the community has come to expect. For us not to be able to be there with our competition is something that worries me."

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