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Trustees approve raising minimum rent on new district leases to $12 per square foot
Summary
Trustees voted unanimously to raise the minimum rate for all new Missoula County Public Schools leases from $8 to $12 per square foot, following a facility study recommendation aimed at offsetting maintenance costs; trustees asked staff to include square footage and phase‑in details for nonprofit partners.
The Missoula County Public Schools board of trustees voted unanimously to raise the minimum rent for all new district leases from $8 to $12 per square foot per year, a change staff said comes from a recent facility study intended to offset ongoing maintenance costs.
Denise Williams, who presented the facilities recommendation, said leasing vacant district properties at a higher minimum will help cover maintenance expenses. "The recommendation basically was to lease the space to offset the maintenance costs and recommendation to propose a minimum rate of $12 per square foot," she said.
Trustees pressed staff on how the new minimum would affect long‑standing nonprofit partners that have historically paid nominal rents. Trustee Meg (identified in the record as Meg) and others asked for itemized context (square footage and historical rates) so the board and public could evaluate fiscal impact for specific tenants. Williams and other staff said some agreements are phased and that the administration plans to include square footage and phase‑in details in the packet and minutes.
Trustee Jenny Walsh moved the motion to adopt the $12 minimum for all new leases; Trustee Ann Wake seconded. The board recorded a unanimous approval among trustees present.
Staff noted that some existing relationships—examples cited included very small modular spaces or organizations providing services in lieu of rent—have been handled differently, and the district intends to preserve flexibility for partner organizations when appropriate. The board approved the separate renewals of three existing leases later in the meeting, with staff recommending and trustees approving those renewals as presented.
The board did not adopt changes to existing leases retroactively; the increase was described as applying to "all new leases" that come before the district under the updated policy. Minutes and the packet will include square footage and phase‑in schedules for nonprofit partners as requested by trustees.
