Lease Stipulations Need to be Ironed Out

by Trinity Gruenberg

trinity@inhnews.com

The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, October 7.

Extension Lease and

Management of the Event Center

The Wadena County Commissioners discussed the ongoing situation regarding the 4-H program and the leases for the event center building.

Historically, the lease for the building was signed by 4-H. However, some commissioners expressed concern that the University of Minnesota was preparing a list of desired lease terms without local input. There was a consensus that a group—including local 4-H leaders, the extension committee, and possibly a commissioner—should be involved in shaping the lease to ensure it reflects the needs and interests of all stakeholders.

The discussion highlighted the need for clear management of the event center. It was pointed out that the Extension does not want to manage the building. They considered three separate leases: one with the Agricultural Society, one with the University of Minnesota/4-H, and a third specifically for the event center itself. The management of the center could potentially be handled by a group composed of Agricultural Society and 4-H members, possibly under the existing Friends group’s nonprofit status. The commissioners emphasized the importance of defining how the building will be used, who will manage it, and how scheduling and revenue will be handled.

Questions were raised about how proceeds from the center would be allocated, particularly regarding support for 4-H activities.

Commissioners discussed the need for any management group to be financially self-sustaining and the need to contribute to building maintenance and operational costs. There was also discussion about the loss of revenue from storage rentals, which previously supported 4-H, and the need for clear agreements on how user fees and other income would be distributed...

Subscribe to get the rest of the story...