Port Hueneme Boys & Girls Club to Reopen Today

The Port Hueneme Boys & Girls Club will officially open its doors today after being closed for two months for city-mandated repairs.

The Port Hueneme City Council unanimously approved the club’s three-year lease of the Athletic Center at 590 E. Pleasant Valley Road. The club leases the building for $1 annually.

However, some council members expressed reservations about a new clause in the lease that allows the club to rent out the facility to private parties as a fund-raising measure.

Councilman Jonathan Sharkey and City Manager Dick Velthoen were among those who expressed concern about liability issues and the screening process for those who might rent the facility from the Boys & Girls Club.

“You should do this with your eyes wide open with regard to the liability issues and the burden it will place on your staff. This is not something you should just carte blanche say OK to,” Velthoen said.

City standards regarding subleasing the building, including those relevant to staffing, maintenance and security levels, have been incorporated into the lease and will be enforced, said Velthoen said.

The new lease also incorporates the Boys & Girls Club of America’s national standards for providing youth programs. The Port Hueneme club has had difficulties meeting those standards because of recent jumps in membership and budget constraints.

The club was shut Sept. 1 after city inspections uncovered a number of maintenance problems, ranging from exposed wiring and rusted doors to chipped paint and water stains. A subsequent inspection in late October found the building in better repair.

“It’s perfect timing for us to jump right back into it,” said Chuck Muncie, executive director of the Port Hueneme Boys & Girls Club.