It was standing room only at the September 26 city council meeting, as locals came to listen to discussion relating to the North House lease renewal.
The open forum lasted over an hour, allowing all who wanted to speak have the opportunity to do so. It was evident that many were prepared, coming with extensive notes and research to back up their requests.
It was a common theme that North House has done fantastic things in terms of growth, physical improvements and continuing to draw visitors to Grand Marais. However, the underlying request was clear. Would the city consider increasing the school’s rent, which sits at $362.65 per month?
Pete Gresczyk presented several reasons for the proposed increase, citing that North House’s low rent is inconsistent with the going rate in town.
In some cases, the gross annual rent equates to less than what residents pay in annual property taxes.
Grescyk also presented information on the school’s property values and presented examples of ways the property could be used to generate greater revenue for Grand Marais and subsequently relieve a bit of the financial burden for residents.
Many of the speakers made valid points regarding the positive impact that the school has made on Grand Marais. Barb LaVigne commented that it has brought a steady flow of visitors during off-season times, which generates revenue for the tourism industry.
Last week, Greg Wright, executive director of North House and his team were tasked with providing the council with an expanded look at the performance criteria and community impact. They submitted 12 pages of supporting evidence, all of which is available to the public through the meeting minutes on the city council website.
In terms of local impact, North House has invested $112,000,000 into the community over the past 20 years. Since 1997, they have provided 33,405 free or reduced rate community program days. This total is separate of the thousands of additional days of regular programming that North House offers.
City council appreciates and welcomes any constructive suggestions and could discuss feedback at future council meetings.
Since the current lease is set to expire Dec. 31, 2029, the council feels that taking the necessary time to evaluate what is fair and equitable will be in the best interest of all parties.
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