Port of Allyn to consider leasing meeting space

Port of Allyn commissioners agreed to explore leasing the port’s meeting room several days a week to Grassroots Learning, a family-based education co-op, at the port’s special meeting Monday.

“This is the ideal location with the Port’s waterfront park just outside, where the children already come each day to play,” Executive Director Travis Merrill wrote in a report.

The co-op would lease the space from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday – Friday or Tuesday – Thursday, according to Merrill.

Grassroots offers “a hybrid of homeschooling and group learning, led by a credentialed teacher, qualified assistants, and parent volunteers. In-person learning takes place in our co-op classroom and a curriculum bundle is provided for homeschool days,” according to its website.

Merrill said he thinks no more than 20 children would be attending.

“This would be the primary schooling location,” he said.

Grassroots will also rent space at a gymnasium space in Allyn, according to Merrill.

The proposed lease will be $800 to $1,000 a month, depending on the days required.

Commissioner John Sheridan said he likes the idea but was concerned about the costs to the school.

“If there’s several people paying, it’s not so bad,” he said.

Merrill said there are currently three groups that use the meeting space regularly and the port would have to work with them to adjust their schedule.

The port workshops would also need to change.

“We would be a little less flexible on our meetings,” Merrill said.

If the port scheduled workshops after 3 p.m., it shouldn’t be a problem, he said.

Commissioners agreed to have Merrill pursue the lease and report back at the next regular meeting.

Deadline in Allyn Carey purchase extended

Commissioners also ratified an amendment to the Allyn Carey water system purchase agreement that extends the deadline for “as-built” drawings an additional 60 days.

The port signed the agreement Nov. 29.