Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Moore Center Gap Lease topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ellsworth approves short-term 'gap lease' to cover YMCA utilities at Moore Center
Summary
The Ellsworth City Council approved a 30‑day renewable 'gap lease' to assume utility costs for the Downeast Family YMCA at the Moore Center, citing the organization's operating shortfall and the need to keep childcare and pre‑K services running while staff negotiate a permanent cost‑sharing plan.
The Ellsworth City Council on a unanimous voice vote approved a short‑term ‘‘gap lease’’ under which the city will assume responsibility for utilities at the Moore Center, effective retroactively to Sept. 1.
Parks and recreation director Rod Erlenbach told the council the YMCA’s original lease expired last year and the nonprofit has been operating under temporary extensions; he said the YMCA estimated an operating shortfall of about $146,000 per year and asked for immediate relief. Erlenbach recommended an interim agreement—renewable every 30 days—under which the city would pay occupancy costs now borne by the YMCA while staff finalize a long‑term multi‑tenant cost‑allocation plan.
City Manager Charlie Pierce said the city hopes to have a permanent fee structure within roughly 90 days and described the gap lease as a ‘‘good faith’’ measure to prevent disruption of childcare and other community services housed in the facility. The proposed short‑term payment was estimated at about $7,500 per month; council placed responsibility for the first month’s payment on city coffers with the approved motion made retroactive to Sept. 1.
Several council members asked staff to quantify how much of the building each tenant uses. Erlenbach said the Moore Center totals 28,302 square feet and the YMCA occupies about 37% of the allocated interior footprint (roughly 10,478 square feet when common areas are excluded). He also said the school district operates a pre‑K program in the facility and currently pays no rent, and the city will include cleaning and common‑area management fees in the longer‑term cost allocation discussions.
Councilors pressed for a fast timetable. Several members said they supported the decision to keep the YMCA’s services intact while staff finalize a permanent lease that distributes utility and custodial costs among the building’s tenants. Councilor Nancy (last name not specified in record) moved the motion; it passed with a friendly amendment to make payment retroactive to Sept. 1.
Next steps: staff will continue negotiations with the YMCA, Friends in Action, the school district and other tenants to create a permanent cost‑sharing structure and report back at the next council workshop and subsequent council meeting.
