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Francis Center to move after church sale; district to lease CEC space at no rent and support grant‑funded services
Summary
Board was told the Francis Center lost its church space due to a sale; the district will provide space at CEC without charging rent so the program can continue serving 20–40 children, with expenses paid from grants and evaluations required by grant terms.
The Board heard that the Francis Center, a community program serving early‑grade children, lost its space after the church that housed it was sold. The district will offer the Francis Center space at the Cataract Elementary Complex (CEC) without charging rent so the program can continue delivering services to district children.
Superintendent Mark Lohrey explained the district will not charge rent and will provide utilities when possible because the Francis Center serves 20–40 of the district’s students after school. "We're leasing them space. And we just want to put much like the police athletically has space at Niagara Falls High School, we're offering the Francis Center space at CEC. They service only our kids, so they don't pay any rent," Lohrey said.
Board materials indicated the arrangements are structured as a lease that sets rules, insurance and comings‑and‑goings; the district noted the program’s staffing is not funded by the district. Several related short‑term contracts and grant‑funded agreements were listed on the agenda and are paid for by grants, and the district said those contracts require yearly evaluations as a condition of grant acceptance.
Why this matters: the decision preserves continuity of services for children served by the Francis Center and relies on grant funding and established evaluation requirements to cover program costs. The Board will consider the formal lease and related agreements at an upcoming voting meeting.
