The district passed a resolution allowing Superintendent Tim Seymour to sell the land at a school board meeting on Feb. 4. Seymour said the district had recently learned of a restriction under state education law that only allows districts to lease a property for 10 years, with an option for a 10-year extension. Because it has been 20 years since the land was originally leased to the youth center, the only viable option is to sell the property. The youth center owns the building already.

“What was done 25-plus years ago was what worked at the time and allowed the youth center to get started,” said Adam Wild, a Shipman Youth Center board member. “Now we’re at a point where we have to cross the next bridge within education laws so that we can keep operating for another 25 years.”

The president of the Shipman Youth Center board, Michael Durham, said the board has been in negotiations with the district for the sale of the property for more than a year. He said he’s heard a lot of concerns about the youth center since the district’s resolution to sell the property, and wants to reassure the community that this sale is not so much about “saving the youth center” but about “expanding the future.”

The youth center expects that their programming will not be affected by the sale.

The Shipman Youth Center, shown Wednesday, is set to purchase their land from Lake Placid Central School District. (Enterprise photo — Grace McIntyre)

“The relationship with the school is just as important now as it will be in the future,” Durham said. “We want to have a good relationship.”

Executive Director Jason Hooker said they will continue collaborating closely with the school. The building will continue to be available for the school’s needs, such as providing an extra space for classes or testing, as well as for school events such as blood drives.

If anything, owning their property will give them more freedom to host additional community events, Hooker said. The most important part of the sale, however, is the promise that the youth center can continue to operate in the future.

“The security of offering programming for the youth community will be here,” he said. “Being able to have a sense of security for the students in the community and offering a place for them to go.”

The youth center will be raising money to help with the sale. Donations can be made online at shipmanyouthcenter.org, on their Facebook page or by sending checks directly to the center. They are accepting donations towards the purchase already, and will have additional fundraisers in the future, Durham said.