February 24, 2023 |
It’s finally official. Valley Village Childcare will own Saratoga’s clinic building. After months of negotiating and fine-tuning contracts and plans, the deal is done.
The Platte Valley Clinic will move into the North Platte Valley Medical Center when the hospital opens in the next month or so. The daycare will then begin the process of moving into the clinic’s current location, the Corbett Medical Building.
Elle Dana, the vice-chairperson of Valley Village Childcare, has been the point person for the daycare in the negotiations with town, which owns the building. To avoid paying the $100,000 in repairs needed for to upgrade the building for the daycare, the town, with permission from the Corbett Medical Foundation, agreed to sell the building to Valley Village for $1. The plan is to move both the daycare and Excel Preschool under one roof, allowing children to move between the two locations without leaving the building.
On Tuesday, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Cooley gave residents a chance to voice their opposition or support of the proposed sale during a public hearing.
Pictured above: File photo of the Ray A. Corbett Medical Building. Photo by Bigfoot 99.
Several people spoke to the council. Each person agreed the town needed better access to childcare. Councilwoman Kathy Beck read a letter from Will Faust, the chairman of the Platte Valley Healthcare Project board, the nonprofit organization that is behind the North Platte Valley Medical Center. Faust, who was unable to attend, said he supported the deal.
Jamie Stein is the executive director for Developmental Preschool and Day Care Center, the parent company of Excel Preschool. She said the preschool needs to move because Excel’s trailers are barely able to pass state inspections.
Councilwoman Beck read a letter from Schelby Merrill in support of the sale. Merrill said having Valley Village and Excel in one building would make it so parents wouldn’t need to drive their children between the two locations.
Other people spoke out in support of the arrangement, as well. No one expressed any opposition to the deal. Mayor Pro Tem Cooley said he was fully behind the sale.
Later Tuesday night, during the town council meeting, acting Town Attorney Patrick Brady said the building would be returned to the town if it stopped being used for childcare.
Resolution 2023-05 allows the town to sell the Corbett Medical Building to Valley Village Childcare. Reading from the resolution, Councilwoman Beck said the sale will save Saratoga money in maintenance costs and provide a beneficial service for the townspeople.
After Councilwoman Beck finished reading, Councilman Jacob Fluty motioned to accept the resolution. Councilman Jerry Fluty seconded and the motion passed. Valley Village will take ownership of the Corbett Medical Building for $1. The deed won’t be official until signed by the mayor after the Platte Valley Clinic has moved out.
