Haines lease for old Mosquito Lake school still lists rent the Assembly voted to change

The Haines Borough Assembly holds its first public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 27, on leasing the former Mosquito Lake School and Community Center to Four Winds Resource Center, an Alaska nonprofit, for six years. But the rent in the lease posted in the meeting packet does not match the amount the Assembly approved this month.

Draft minutes from the Oct. 13 meeting record that an amendment from Assembly member Eben Sargent, stating the rent term as $58.80 per year, carried unanimously. The Assembly then passed the ordinance's introduction 5-1, with Assembly member Mark Smith opposed.

The lease in the packet, listed as amended Sept. 22, three weeks before that vote, still reads $58.80 per square foot per year. For the building's roughly 5,374 square feet of commercial space, that would come to about $316,000 a year. The borough has posted no revised version, and the records do not say which figure is meant.

The lease covers the building at 999 Mosquito Lake Road, part of the garage and about 2.5 acres of grounds. It would run from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2032, and Four Winds could renew for three more six-year terms.

The borough would waive an advance deposit. Four Winds would pay utilities, including fuel oil, heat, electricity, water, sewer and garbage.

The ordinance finds it is in the borough's interest to lease the building for less than its appraised value, citing the part of borough code that allows leases to nonprofits. The packet does not state that value. A separate management agreement, not included in the packet, could suspend rent until that agreement ends. A February 2024 borough manager's report described follow-up work with the group on a new memorandum of understanding for running the borough building.

Four Winds describes itself as a volunteer-powered hub. A 2023 community foundation newsletter listed its activities as a community garden, local art exhibits, candidate forums, comprehensive planning workshops, yoga, game days and a tool library.

The Assembly meets at 6:30 pm in the Assembly Chambers and on Zoom. Written comments are due by 5 pm Monday, Oct. 26. The second hearing, with more public testimony, is set for Nov. 18.

It is the first meeting of the new term. The agenda also has the Assembly certifying the Oct. 6 election and swearing in Mayor Douglas Olerud and Assembly members Beau Bradley and Anne Marie Palmieri.