The Warren County Commissioners today approved a lease with the Warren County School District that paves the way for planning to occur regarding the future of the former Youngsville High School building.
The lease - $1 a year for 25 years - includes a one year opt out for the county. The WCSD board approved the lease earlier this month.
The planning period will allow the county to fully explore all possibilities regarding county services and partner agencies that could utilize the space.
“There are some organizations that are interested,” Commissioner Ken Klakamp said during Monday’s work session. “What we had looked at was doing a one year lease for planning. At the end of one year, we would make a decision whether we are interested in moving forward.”
To begin to facilitate the planning process, the county will be drafting and publishing a request for proposals in the coming weeks for architectural/building utilization services to provide the subject matter expertise needed to fully explore possibilities.
Youngsville Borough and the non-profit Revitalization of Youngsville have expressed their full support for this lease proposal.
The WCSD has agreed to cover the utility costs while the county explores possibilities. Should the county opt in to the 25-year lease, all maintenance, capital and utility costs would be the responsibility of the county.
“All we’re doing, if we approve it, it would really be more about the art of the possible,” Commissioner Tricia Durbin said.
No final decisions have been made about county services - or non-profit organizations - that might be located in the space.
“There are no firm commitments,” Klakamp said, “There’s been some interest in it. That’s as far as it’s gone.
“It may be totally unfeasible,” he added. “That’s where we stand. We’re investigating, researching, looking at this point.”