Winneshiek County Supervisors Discuss Lease Rates at Community Services Building

Your support keeps truth alive in Decorah—donate to local news today! DECORAH — Winneshiek County supervisors heard Tuesday from tenants of the Community Services Building (CSB) as questions mounted over lease agreements, rent fairness and long-term sustainability of the county-owned facility. Representatives from Toys Go 'Round, a nonprofit toy lending library, and Spectrum Network, which serves adults with disabilities, spoke during the board's regular meeting about their leases in the building. Matt Tapscott, speaking on behalf of Toys Go 'Round, emphasized the group's limited budget. "Our annual budget is $30,000 a year. We are a very part-time organization," he said, noting that the nonprofit operates three shifts a week with 1,900 visits annually. Tapscott said the organization considers its current rent as "more than fair and reasonable," but added that it cannot finalize any adjustment without approval from its board. He also requested a signed lease, saying that a map drawn up during the county's takeover of the building omitted access to the program's front door. "Currently, we're operating [with a] month-to-month lease and we'd like to extend that so that we aren't concerned about that every month," he said. Toys Go 'Round recently hired Paul Scott, who was also in attendance, as director to increase outreach and build partnerships. Tapscott described the toy library as "an incredible resource that very few communities of any size have," adding, "When people walk through the door and experience Toys Go 'Round, they're sold." Later, supervisors heard from Spectrum Network board members Emily Rocksvold and Brian Huinker, who acknowledged that the nonprofit has been paying $2,000 a month since the county purchased the building. Supervisors noted discrepancies between current rates and market conditions. "When we renegotiated the lease with the food pantry, we put an annual increase into their lease," County Auditor Ben Steines said, contrasting that agreement with Spectrum's unchanged rate, "$2,000 a month may have been fair at the time, or even this year…we can't leave it at that forever." Supervisor Steve Kelsay also cited a recent discussion with Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging, which showed comparable space in Decorah leasing for $12 to $15 per square foot. Rocksvold pointed out that it was her understanding that there had been an oral agreement that the rent would stay at $2,000 for "essentially an infinite term", but also acknowledged the fallibility of oral agreements in general. Supervisor Chair Dan Langreck and Supervisor Mark Vick both asserted "that was never discussed". The board also discussed building expenses, with Vick pointing out that "last month, just the electricity and the cleaning was $4,300," while the county faces potential future costs such as "$7,000 to $8,000" for a single air conditioning unit replacement. Board members agreed that rent must at least cover monthly expenses and set aside funds for maintenance. "We're not here to make money, but at least cover our expenses and save up for expenses," Vick said. Supervisors asked both organizations to return with proposals. Both nonprofits indicated they would discuss the matter with their boards and return in coming weeks. Don't miss out on important updates! Subscribe to the newsletter for free and stay informed about local topics that matter most to you.