150+ Layoffs Posted At Wayne YMCA; Township Aims To Hire Workers Back

WAYNE, NJ — More than 150 Wayne YMCA employees have received notice that their jobs will be cut — with township officials saying they want to hire many of these workers back.

The township plans to purchase the building on Pike Drive for $12.2 million and turn it into Wayne's first community center, after striking an agreement with current operator Metro YMCA of the Oranges.

"No, we're not knocking the building down," Mayor Chris Vergano assured residents during a council meeting on July 18.

Officials envision the 14.2-acre property as a space for Wayne residents and neighbors to congregate for fitness classes, community events, programs, performances, and more. It would be run by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Rick Gorab, President and CEO of Metro YMCA of the Oranges, told Patch that the cuts are tentatively set to become official on Nov. 1, and that Human Resources staff have been working with the affected employees through the process.

As required by law, most businesses with more than 100 employees have to post a notice of any mass layoffs, under the Worker Adjustment And Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. Gorab said that Y leadership gave 90 days' notice to 155 full-time and part-time employees, with a WARN notice posted in early August.

At the last Township Council meeting, Vergano told assembled residents that the township will keep most of the Y staff, and aims to keep current programs running.

"Our goal is to maintain and improve upon all the programs that are there now," he said.

"We're going to need all these instructors to keep doing the great things that they're doing today."

Gorab said the YMCA would be glad to collaborate with Wayne officials in getting the current Y staff employed with the township. He also said that Y leadership "stand ready to assist with securing job placements," whether it be at the new community center or someplace different.

The Metro Y of the Oranges exercised their right to purchase the building from the Young Mens and Young Womens Hebrew Association (YM-YWHA) of North Jersey earlier this year, and met with township officials to discuss plans for the future.

These talks sparked further discussion among Wayne officials about providing a township-run facility to provide more space for youth groups and senior activities, serve as a hub for community programming, and house both the Parks Department and the Health Department offices.

The YMCA has 145,904 square feet of space and ample opportunities for recreational programming with a swimming facility, theater, indoor gym, lecture and instructional rooms, as township officials noted when discussing why it was so appealing for a future community building.

The Y property was estimated to be worth $16 million, Vergano said.

The town plans to use money from the Open Space Fund to pay for the project, with no additional cost to residents — as this fund has been part of their annual tax bill since about 2003.

"It's not a new tax, it's a tax you're already paying," the mayor said.

Wayne collects more than $1 million per year from this fund, Vergano added.

Council next meets on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

Related coverage —

• $12.2M Agreement Proposed For Township To Purchase Wayne YMCA
• Some Wayne YMCA Members Share Concerns About Township Buying Property