- November 14, 2024
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Last month, Flagler Beach city commissioners said the Flagler Beach Montessori school could keep its garden at Wickline Park. But now commissioners aren't sure they want the school there at all — at least, not without a rent increase for the city-owned property.
The commission voted unanimously May 19 not to renew the school's current lease, and to instead draft a new one. Some of the numbers mentioned for a possible rent increase were far above what school owner Kerri Huckabee told commissioners she could pay.
The issue started with the school's garden: It had drawn complaints from people saying it was overgrown. Commissioners wanted to look at the lease to establish guidelines for it. But in doing so, the city found other issues and commissioners decided to reconsider the monthly rent, which has been just $1,307.76 a month, or $1,399.31 including tax. The school building itself is about 5,400 square feet, at 800 S. Daytona Avenue.
"We are subsidizing this school," City Commissioner Kim Carney said at a special City Commission meeting about the school May 19. "Whether we want to admit it or not, we are in the elementary school business."
"We are subsidizing this school. ... Whether we want to admit it or not, we are in the elementary school business."
— KIM CARNEY, Flagler Beach city commissioner
Carney thought the city shouldn't be, and worried about modifications made to the school building — without permits — some of which violated state safety codes. "Look at an administrator of a building who puts a curtain over the fire exit, and locks the door," she said. "So they have no regard for fire safety."
Mayor Linda Provencher disagreed with Carney's characterization of the city as "subsidizing" the Montessori school.
"I don’t think you’re subsidizing anyone," she said.
Bringing the building up to market rent would leave the school paying rent of about $2,400, Commissioner Marshall Shupe said. Charging standard commercial building rates would mean rent payments of about $3,200 a month.
But Provencher said the restaurant building at the pier started with payments of about $3,000 per month, and it's a profitable commercial property in much better shape than the worn school building.
School owner Kerri Huckabee told the commissioners she couldn't afford to pay more than a couple hundred dollars extra per month.
But Carney said $1,300 was just too low.
"I'm not in favor of $1,300 a month," she said. "I would rather let it sit, and not have any damage, not have any construction problems." If the school can't afford to pay a reasonable rental rate that is more than $200 or so more than the school pays now, that's "Not my problem," she said.
"I walked in there nine years ago, and the place was disgusting. ... I understand I didn't do the permitting. But I've beautified that building inside."
— KERRI HUCKABEE, owner, Flagler Beach Montessori
Provencher supported a rent increase. But, she said, "I’m not going charge $3,200 for anybody for that building, because it is an old building, it does need a lot of work. ... $3,200 a month is a lot of money for that building, especially when it needs a new roof."
Commissioner Jane Mealy suggested a gradual rent increase over several years. She was also unhappy with changes the school made to the building — including the addition of extra bathroooms and the installation of a door lock that had been deemed a fire code violation — without permission from the city.
The school, according to its current lease, is required to fix those changes before leaving, something the city's building inspector said was estimated to cost about $7,500. But, commissioners said, the lease also requires the school to seek the city's permission before making changes to the building, and that hadn't happened.
"I feel — and I’m sorry, Kerri, for this — I feel like we were taken advangtage of," Mealy said. "The building was offered the way it was, an agreement was made with the way the building was, and a whole lot of changes occurred that we knew nothing about. ... It is a local historic building. We have very few left. And I don’t like the changes that were made to the building that make it even less historic than it was."
"I feel like we were taken advangtage of. The building was offered the way it was, an agreement was made with the way the building was, and a whole lot of changes occurred that we knew nothing about. ... It is a local historic building. We have very few left."
— JANE MEALY, Flagler Beach city commissioner
Huckabee, addressing the board, thanked commissioners for giving the school the opportunity to use such the property. But, she said, the building had major problems, and the changes the school made improved it.
"I walked in there nine years ago, and the place was disgusting," she said. "I beautified that place. ... I understand I didn't do the permitting. But I've beautified that building inside."
Commissioner Marshall Shupe, speaking after Huckabee left to attend to a family emergency, suggested that the fact that Huckabee had mentioned a couple hundred dollars as the maximum she could afford to pay in a rent increase "doesn’t mean we have to go with her max."
Commissioner Rick Belheumer said he agreed with Huckabee about the initial condition of the building. And, he said later, "It isn’t going to do anybody, the kids or the city, any good sitting there empty."
He suggested raising the rent 20%, to about $1,680 including taxes. Carney suggested the city also request a security deposit in a future lease.
The commission didn't settle on how much rent the city will seek from the school in the future, but voted unanimously not to renew the school's current lease and to instead have city staff formulate a new one.
