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Kincardine struggles with learning centre lease By Liz Dadson |
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Kincardine council has decided to set up an ad hoc committee to sort out the lease between the municipality and the Lake Huron Learning Collaborative for use of the old Westario Power building as a learning centre. In committee-of-the-whole last night (Aug. 11), Rosemary Rognvaldson and Kevin McKay of the collaborative, fielded questions about the alternative lease the organization had prepared which was different than the one set out by the municipality in June. The main points of discrepancy were the collaborative's use of the entire building, and having the rental fee include taxes, utilities, ground maintenance and snow removal. "I say no to the rental fees," said councillor Kenneth Craig, "not if we're paying all the services." He also objected to the learning centre using the whole building. The original lease stated that the rental rate of $25,143 per year over the four years would be for the former pharmacy area only, and would not include utilities, yard costs and taxes. The new lease calls for the entire building to be leased at $50,000 per year with everything included. Craig suggested chief administrative officer John deRosenroll work with the collaborative to come up with a lease that more accurately reflects the original agreement. Rognvaldson said the lease agreement is based on four years because the $500,000 in funding from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) was for four years. "We won't be bursting at the seams the first year, but we expect increased growth in the area," she said. "Once we're established in the building, it will give us sustainability. This will give us more opportunity to promote post-secondary education in the area, resulting in increased demand and use." Councillor Mike Leggett said the economic development committee discussed the proposed lease and was not in favour of allowing use of the entire building because the training area (former truck bays) were to be leased out separately. Mayor Larry Kraemer, a strong proponent of the learning centre and advocate for post-secondary education in Kincardine, said the plan as adopted by council last fall was for a master group to take over the building and then attract other partners. That was the purpose of allowing the learning collaborative to lease the entire building. "The collaborative's business plan was approved and funded by OPG," he said. "Now, they need to follow that plan. But if council doesn't want this to go forward, say no and we'll let this opportunity slip away." Councillor Guy Anderson said he understood that the bays were being leased to the Power Workers' Union as a training area. While he has no problem with the lease of the building, he said the rental rate should reflect what's going on, particularly if the services are included.
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"Perhaps we should look at a shorter lease," said deputy mayor Laura Haight. "Maybe start small and then if more space is needed, they lease the rest of the building. I'm not against post-secondary education; my concern is how much property tax money is invested in this." Rognvaldson reiterated that the collaborative received funding from OPG for a four-year program. "It's difficult to plan effectively if we don't have the assurance that the balance of the space will be available," she said. "It was our understanding, from day one, that we would lease the whole building." "Maybe we should establish an ad hoc committee to work with the learning collaborative on this," said councillor Ron Hewitt. "I'd be happy to sit down and go over this," said Leggett. "So would I," added Craig. "Okay, we give the ad hoc committee a month to go over this and come back with a recommendation," said Hewitt. Rognvaldson said the collaborative plans to start classes Oct. 1 so it wanted the lease agreement approved so it could start advertising those classes. "I've been a municipal councillor," she said. "When this all began, I thought it was wonderful to find a council that understands economic development and the importance of post-secondary education. But now, it all seems to have fallen apart. That's really sad." "We're not holding this up," countered Anderson. "We put forward a lease but you came back with a different one." "We thought the whole building was available," said Rognvaldson. "But now we have misunderstandings here." Council agreed to establish an ad hoc committee, consisting of Leggett and Craig, to discuss the lease with the learning collaborative and come back with a recommendation Sept. 1.
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