Cheshire Youth Center Lease Negotiations Continue Over Capital Improvement Costs
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Select Board and Youth Center Inc. are nearing an agreement on a revised lease for the town-owned building, but some board members believe that some of the language is "to a degree inadequate."
The Select Board and Youth Center have been negotiating a new lease since June in an effort to bring the center's rent closer to market rate, particularly as the town anticipates significant capital expenses. The center is situated in the 1961 west wing of the former Cheshire School, now known as the Community House.
During Tuesday's meeting, the center's Executive Director Sonia DiSanti presented a counterproposal following discussions with the board last month.
The proposed agreement would establish a monthly lease payment of $7,100 for approximately 18 months, maintaining that rate through June 30, 2027, and extending it for an additional year. Town officials requested additional language clarifying how future capital investments and utility expenses would be handled.
After the 18-month period, the rent could be adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), with board member Raymond Killeen estimating an increase of approximately 2.5 to 3 percent.
The town previously voted to increase the Youth Center's lease from $3,500 a month to $9,500 beginning July 2026.
According to meeting minutes, the Select Board had expressed concerns that the Youth Center's lease payments were considerably below market rate, particularly as the town faces mounting expenses associated with several major capital projects.
These projects include roof repairs at Hoosac Valley Elementary School, renovations at McCann Technical School, and ongoing structural concerns surrounding the town's Fire Department building.
The Community House, which not only houses the center but town offices, is facing capital costs of its own, specifically needing upgrades to its heating system, that's anticipated to cost over a million dollars to fix.
However, during a Select Board meeting earlier in October, several residents spoke in support of the Youth Center and expressed opposition to the proposed rent increase.
At that meeting, Youth Center Board of Directors President Jillian Brothers emphasized the organization's reliance on grants and subsidies to sustain its operations, noting that the center generates approximately $1.3 million in annual revenue while incurring roughly $1.2 million in expenses.
During that meeting, the Youth Center proposed pursuing state grant funding to help offset the cost of replacing the building's heating system. The center suggested using existing engineering studies and coordinating with the town to identify potential funding opportunities and reduce the financial burden on taxpayers.
"The heating system right now is a big concern …If we got to a point where we needed to act immediately to correct that situation, would the Youth Center take on part of the responsibilities [toward the repairs?]" asked Select Board member Ronald DeAngelis.
The process of getting a grant takes a considerable amount of time and if the town needs to act quickly it would need to go before voters to request a Proposition 2 1/2 override, which he described as "impossible," or debt exclusion to finance the work.
Killeen proposed including language to the contract that completion of any reduction to the town's costs of operating as a result of grant-funded capital improvements gets taken off the rent.
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