Following a proposal made by the Haines Borough, a working group will look at the possibility of Chilkat Valley Preschool sharing an expanded Haines Senior Center building.
The borough recently took over management of the building after a nonprofit group that was managing it said it could no longer do so without borough operations money.
On Monday, borough public facilities director Brad Ryan told a group of seniors and preschool parents that combining the functions at one building could reduce costs for each set of users. “The key to making this building economical is increasing usership.”
Seniors at the meeting were largely opposed to giving up existing space in the building, saying any reduction of space would cut into building activities and would contradict trends because the senior population is growing.
Lunch program manager Cindy Jackson provided figures after the meeting showing that numbers of meals served there increased by 1,206 between 2012-14, and 2015 is tracking to exceed last year’s total of 5,127 meals.
Several at the meeting, however – including the building’s main tenant, Southeast Senior Services – said they could go along with an L-shaped addition that would add about 1,000 square feet to the building’s southeast corner and rear without infringing on the seniors’ space. The existing building is about 2,700 square feet.
“With the increase in seniors coming into this community, we’re going to have to ask for additions to the building, too,” said Linda Geise. “But I don’t want to throw (the preschool) out on the street. Those children are our future.”
In a letter, Marsha Partlow of Southeast Senior Services said the decision about sharing the building was one for the community, but maintaining a monthly rental rate of $800 was important to the group’s meal program for seniors.
Facilities director Ryan said an preschool addition to the building that doesn’t include shared space could cost $200,000, and might pose a funding challenge. Such a proposal might also face “push-back” by the assembly, he said.
“All of this comes down to – as Marsha says, she doesn’t support splitting the space but she wants to maintain that $800 rent. That’s hard when the building costs the borough more than the rent that comes in. So then we look at how to make the building financially viable,” Ryan said.
Ryan said the borough was working to make buildings more multi-use and cost-effective. He proposed the two groups draw up a memorandum of understanding with multiple construction options, including asking the assembly to extend the preschool’s lease, which expires June 30. “You’ll need a community push for that.”
Some seniors took exception with the direction of the discussion.
“I’m very disappointed in the assembly,” said Doris Ward. “Why are we finding money for this thing that has been proven in the community as a community asset? That’s the assembly’s job.”
Ward said she’d rather see the borough construct a building specifically for preschoolers.
Joan Snyder said if the preschool’s use of the center was going to involve construction, a preschool should be built on the school grounds.
“I know you were rebuffed by the school and I think that was disgraceful. They should find room for a preschool because preschool is bound to become part of the school system, and it should be,” Snyder said.
Preschool chair Alissa Henry said if the preschool had to build a new building, it would need to raise another $150,000 to be eligible for grant funds.
“Putting on an addition is cheaper because you’re sharing the heating and plumbing and utilities. This really is an opportunity for two organizations to come together at a time when there are budget cuts everywhere, to support each other and the borough as well,” Henry said.
Formeradministrator Renee Hoffman said the preschool always considered an addition to the senior center an option, but had pursued other alternatives.
“Our top priorities were to stay close to the school or the borough, feeling that our program was important to development of the community… This being a borough building, that provides a long-term borough connection,” Hoffman said.
Ryan said the working group should include seniors and representatives of Southeast Senior Services, the preschool and the borough. It was to meet again Wednesday, Nov. 25.