Elk Rapids board waives Mill Creek Academy lease and management fees for 2024–25 and 2025–26

The Elk Rapids Schools Board of Education voted Oct. 13 to waive two years of payments from Mill Creek Academy, approving the return of the 2024–25 PSA lease payment and elimination of the associated 2024–25 management fee, and separately voting to waive the 2025–26 lease payment.

Superintendent Bryan McKenna presented the recommendation to waive the 2024–25 PSA lease ($89,000) and the 2024–25 management fee ($60,000), noting the district would return the $89,000 lease payment Mill Creek Academy had made and eliminate the $60,000 accounts receivable for the management fee. The board approved the resolution (49‑25) by roll call with all members voting yea. "Elk Rapids Schools will return the $89,000 2024‑25 lease payment that Mill Creek Academy made to Elk Rapids Schools and eliminate the 2024‑25 $60,000 Accounts Receivable for the management fee," the recommendation document states.

A separate motion (50‑25) approved waiving the 2025–26 lease payment of $89,000. Both motions were moved and seconded and recorded as carried by unanimous roll call votes. Board members did not record substantive debate on the public record during the motions; the items were considered part of the action-items block of the agenda. The votes were recorded as carried with all present board members voting yea.

The waivers affect the district’s receivables and reflect the operating and authorizer relationship between Elk Rapids Schools and Mill Creek Academy. The board did not publish additional detail at the meeting about financial offsets, other reimbursement arrangements, or whether the waivers alter the parties’ long‑term authorizer or facilities agreements.