The future for the Technology Learning Center in Fountain Hills remains in question.

At a recent meeting the Community Services Advisory Commission rejected a proposal that the town not renew the lease for the TLC, however, there was no resolution regarding the status of the group using space at the Community Center.

Commission Vice Chairman Sherm Abrahamson made the motion that the lease not be renewed, but there was no other support for the proposal.

Abrahamson said he was not trying to kick the TLC out of the Community Center.

“I want to address a misconception,” he said. “It is not our goal to get rid of the TLC from the center.

“(My goal) is to restructure the use of space that TLC has had exclusive use since the opening of the center.”

He added that the objective from his point of view is to have TLC schedule its workshops and operate the same as any non-profit that uses the center for activities.

“Our workgroup looked at better use of space to make everybody happy,” Abrahamson said.

Currently TLC operates from a room about 500 square feet in the Community Center.

The computers and equipment remain in the room at all times, and the room is secured and remains unused during the time the TLC is not operating.

Abrahamson brought it up to the commission several months ago that the additional space could be used by the Community Center operations to schedule other activities.

Options proposed

After several months of discussion with the workgroup, Abrahamson said the group was recommending three options for TLC; one being work with the town to have its classes scheduled like all other activities.

This would not cost TLC anything as they would be town-sponsored activities, however, it could restrict availability of space and require a minimum class size.

Option two would be to work with recreation services to schedule the workshops. Again they would be working with available space, and in this case they would pay the going rate for a non-profit group to rent space at the center.

The third option is similar to number two, but the group would work with the Community Center to schedule classes. The restrictions would be similar.

The current fee schedule has a $15 per hour fee for space.

Currently TLC has a lease with the town for the dedicated space, which totals about $2,000 per year. The $15 per hour rate would cost the group an estimated $13,000 per year.

Additional rent money would be an issue for the TLC group.

Commission member Jim Judge, who worked with Abrahamson on the workgroup assigned to come up with a solution, disagreed with Abrahamson on his conclusion.

“Unlike (Abrahamson), I thought we came to an agreement at our last meeting to work out an arrangement to allow TLC to use the space three days a week and it would be available to others at other times,” Judge said.

“Suddenly it became very complicated.”

Commission Chairman Natalie Varela also said she believed they were close to an agreement.

“I felt we were coming together with an agreement,” Varela said. “TLC is a tremendous benefit and we want to keep them.”

TLC proposal

TLC volunteer manager Ralph Craner said he had made a proposal to the workgroup several months ago, to which he has had no response.

The proposal calls for the town to allow TLC the use of the room for three consecutive days per week -- weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

TLC would provide a computer class schedule comparable to the training provided last year.

TLC would break down its training computers each night to make the room available for evening rentals.

TLC is suggesting a three-year agreement with payment similar to what it is today ($2,090 annually).

In 2014 TLC offered 287 workshops with 523 students attending. This is a 220 percent increase over 2013 due to offering training for iPad, smart phones and Android systems.

During the first three months of 2015 there have been 204 signed up for classes.

At the CSAC meeting April 27 there was a steady stream of students offering testimonials as to how the TLC had helped them get more comfortable in using their electronic devices.

Some of these individuals were professionals using the items as part of their work including an attorney and an architect.

Comparisons

Community Center Operations Supervisor Mike Fenzel told the commissioners that if TLC is to be treated the same as all other users, there are a couple of issues.

He noted what TLC is paying would be a deeply discounted rate over other non-profits. He also said there is a minimum number of participants for classes at the Community Center to cover overhead.

That minimum is generally six to eight people; otherwise the class is cancelled.

Craner said the average number of workshop participants for TLC is four to five.

Abrahamson made the motion that the TLC lease not be renewed. With the rejection of that motion, Commissioner Don Doty suggested a new group go back to work on an agreement with TLC.

Commissioners discussed the possibility of delaying discussion of a new recommendation until October. The commission is off for the summer months and will not reconvene until September as it is.

Senior Services Supervisor Kelly Fonville asked that the issue be taken up more quickly.

Fonville said she is already working on fall scheduling and she needs to know the availability of the space being used by TLC.

Fonville said some activities have had to double up, others are asking to expand their space and she has had to decline some requests for space.

“We are at capacity during the winter months, and I would like to resolve this sooner rather than later to work on fall scheduling,” Fonville said.

Doty and Varela agreed that the workgroup would make its new recommendation to the commission when it meets in September.