Brian Larsen
With months of negotiations behind them, the Tofte town board and the Birch Grove Foundation board finally came to an agreement about who does what and when, and who will pay the bills at Birch Grove Community Center. An agreement was reached on Thursday, October 16.
At the meeting Tofte supervisors signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Foundation that allows for a $1,500 reimbursement of facility expenditures annually as a management fee.
“The income is contained in the Birch Grove Center funding formula that all tenants have incorporated into their rent at $8.50 per square foot,” said Birch Grove Foundation Director Caroline Wood. “This formula includes the cost of the custodian, maintenance, and five hours of foundation time to cover operations management of Birch Grove Center. Tofte Township owns Birch Grove Center and the township handles all facility income and expenses,” said Wood.
In addition to the K-5 Birch Grove Community School, the largest tenant, the building houses the offices for the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, Bluefin Daycare, the Saplings program, Lake Superior Hostel and Birch Grove community groups.
“We are individually owned and operated, directly supporting numerous jobs and quality of life for our neighbors,” said Wood.
At present the Foundation isn’t receiving any money from the town of Tofte, said Wood, but she added, “They are providing community room No. 1 and a portion of community room No. 2 as in-kind donation of approximately $15,674 leasable value. This in-kind donation does cost Tofte Township citizens. We hope to use these in-kind donations for grants and funding opportunities and are excited that this partnership has been supported by Tofte township and property owners,” Wood said.
Now that a formal business agreement has been reached more work lies ahead for the Foundation, which is facing a financial shortfall.
“We hope to meet our $27,000 funding and fundraising shortage in 2015 with rigorous effort over the next year,” said Wood. “Doing so will allow us to continue to provide full time access to the community center’s many amenities which include hockey/ice rink, warming house, playground, tennis and pickle ball courts, ¼-mile hiking trail, obstacle course, and hearth oven. Indoors we have the gym with volleyball, basketball, pickle ball court, and a commercial kitchen and two community rooms with a free library, board game and card zone, laptop and desktop computer labs, workout room with a bike and treadmill adjoined with a KidZone for play while parents workout.”
Wood said other programs would be added. “We are fortunate to have expanding programming as W.E.L.L. (West End Lifelong Learners) begins. W.E.L.L. is for all ages and is a passport membership club for education and training, recreation and leisure, arts and culture, health and wellness.
“All membership proceeds support programs and services while allowing member discounts to all events and classes,” said Wood.
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