Plans to pay for elevator repairs at the St. Joseph Family YMCA with city money did not crash, but they may be stuck for a while.

The St. Joseph City Council postponed a decision to donate $33,040 to the YMCA on Monday after citizens spoke out against using public money for private problems. The money would have come from the Riverboat Gaming Fund.

The YMCA’s elevator had been out of service since it failed a pressure test in November. Repairs were completed in May, but the YMCA sought city funding to pay its bills.

The YMCA applied for $20,040 in Community Development Block Grant funding to fix the elevator in November. It might have received the funds, but was ruled ineligible because it made a down payment of $16,050 on parts for the elevator before submitting the application.

“They tried to do the right thing, and in trying to do the right thing, they disqualified themselves from CDBG money,” City Manager Vince Capell said.

Council members were set to approve the donation Monday with an emergency ordinance. After hearing spirited opposition, the council voted unanimously to treat the ordinance as a first reading and will decide the issue June 15.

Emergency ordinances are passed on the first reading with six votes, while normal ordinances have two readings and require a simple majority to pass.

“If the repairs have already been done, then there’s no reason we can’t postpone this two weeks and go through the normal channels,” councilman Bill Falkner said.

Shawn Henderson, spokesman for City Employees United, said he had heard multiple elevators were out of service at the city’s wastewater treatment plant. Public Works Director Bruce Woody confirmed that two elevators were out of service, then pointed out that next year’s budget has set aside money to repair five of the six elevators at the plant.

Mr. Henderson suggested the city would have been better off if it spent more money on maintaining its infrastructure instead of donating to non-profit organizations.

“We have employees negotiating a spiral staircase with their equipment, and yet we’re donating $33,000 to fix the Y’s elevator,” Mr. Henderson.

The YMCA elevator provides access to the upper floors of the building for disabled patrons, senior citizens, or other people unable to climb three flights of stairs.

Mayor Ken Shearin said he believed the YMCA did a lot for the community and deserved funding.

“I looked at this as a community service thing. In the time I’ve been in office, the YMCA hasn’t asked for a thing,” Mr. Shearin said.

Clinton Thomas can be reached at clintonthomas@npgco.com.