Petition drawn up to protest fee increases at athletic club.

The Athletic Club is facing a petition from club members who have protested planned fee increases as of April 1.

Signatories to the hastily arranged petition have threatened to reduce their status from life members to "shower'' members if the new fee structure is not withdrawn.

But the owner of the club, embattled businessman Mr. Richard Burns, said those who signed the petition were only a small minority, "about ten percent of the total membership'', who have not been fully informed about the need for the increases.

Mr. Burns and his brother, Mr. Thomas Burns, are currently fighting liquidation of their Televest group of companies.

The petition before the Athletic Club is dated February 10 and expresses the hope the club will "reconsider any plans to increase membership dues''. It is addressed to Mr. Burns' wife, Club manager, Kym Burns.

Mr. Burns said the increase in fees amounted to about 8.5 percent and would be the first increase in two years and four months. He cited a rise in the rates of various insurance premiums that represented, he said, an increased cost of about 100 percent in the last two and a half years. Utility and water costs had risen about 40 percent in that same period, he estimated.

He admitted concern that a petition was mounted before the club had an opportunity to explain the reason for the increases.

"We first mentioned the increase last month because we wanted to give people two months advance notice. We explain in more detail the reasoning behind the increase in the newsletter that goes out to members at the end of this month.

"It was premature for some members to start a petition without knowing the details. We're certain that once the membership has read and digested the letter, they'll understand the reason for the increase.'' Mr. Burns also revealed the $250 initiation fee is expected to decrease with the fee adjustment. But life members can expect a seven dollar increase from fees of $82 or $92 a month at the start of April. And "shower'' members, or those who pay only for the use of the shower and other bathing facilities, will pay $33, up five dollars from the old rate. Those who pay their fees yearly are eligible for a discount after the first year, depending on how long they have been members.

But one of the members behind the petition, Randall "Bubba'' Woolridge, who collected 88 signatures from life members on the petition, said there was a hot-bed of discontent among members.

"There are a lot of disgruntled people at the club,'' he said. "This was a petition that people volunteered to sign. I didn't have to go out soliciting names. If I did, I would have got a lot more. I only started collecting names after hearing so much discontent.

"I think that members want more say in the running of their club. We all agree that the management has to make decisions and run the club. But it would be good if we could provide some input.

"There is a list of other problems that need to be addressed. And although I have been a loyal member to the club, I know its going to lose out. There are already people who are ready to leave.''