NORTH TONAWANDA — Two of North Tonawanda’s top officials credit routine meetings with a recent agreement to move the city’s youth center to the largely vacant Grant Elementary School.
Mayor Rob Ortt and Superintendent Greg Woytila said they have conducted talks during the last two years to look at ways to share resources and services. Both said the most recent arrangement will save both parties $15,000 a year.
Council President Rich Andres said that’s because after renting space at the privately owned Gersch Academy Building on Payne Avenue at a cost of $25,000 annually, the new deal will be drastically cheaper and lead to savings for the two taxpayer-funded entities.
“There were a number of issues at Gersch including handicap accessibility that weren’t up to modern standards,” Andres said. “What we’re going to do is pay the school district $10,000 a year.”
Ortt said the move would be better for the children who use the center and the bottom lines of the city and district.
“This is a perfect example of two public entities working together to save tax dollars,” he said.
Woytila called the venture a “win-win” in a statement released Tuesday and lauded the teamwork between the two levels of government.
“Having bi-monthly meetings with the city and school have helped both entities better understand how each other works,” he said. “We hope to collaborate on more projects that will benefit the community in the near future.”
While the move already has taken place, a grand opening will be held Friday.
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