The Town of Sellersburg council heard extended public testimony and internal debate on Nov. 10 over a request from Growing Minds Preschool for a one-year extension of its lease on a town-owned former school building, then agreed to an executive session to review finances and legal options before deciding.

Parents and Growing Minds co-owner Robin Long told the council she and partner Carrie Eckert have run the preschool in the building for 23 years and asked for one additional year so the business can pursue an expected request-for-proposal process and secure a longer-term solution. "There is no greater way that you can preserve history than investing in the children," Long said, urging the council to allow continuity while the preschool seeks alternatives.

Eckert said the redevelopment commission's RFP is unlikely to be finalized in time for Growing Minds to plan for the next school year and asked the council to bridge a one-year gap. A parent who identified himself as a regular customer said the RFP timetable would not allow Growing Minds to know whether it could stay by fall 2026.

Council members pressed for concrete fiscal and operational commitments. "We represent taxpayers first," said Council member Randy, noting fairness concerns if the town effectively subsidizes a private business and the legal requirement to open public property to others. Town legal counsel advised that the town must follow statutory procedures, including appraisals and an RFP or comparable public process, before continuing a lease that would give exclusive occupancy of public property.

Council members also raised building-condition, safety and long-term cost concerns. A staff presentation and public remarks described an aging roof with temporary pumps and a replacement estimate of about $800,000, and council members asked whether the preschool would assume maintenance and utility responsibilities under any conditional extension.

Growing Minds officials said they had supplied expense data and were willing to cover utilities and maintenance within a negotiated fair-market rent, but they cautioned that moving the preschool would be costly and disruptive; they estimated they serve roughly 394 children currently. Council members asked Growing Minds to present a written business model and clarified that any preferential renewal would likely require appraisal and an open RFP to avoid claims of unfair advantage.

Rather than vote on an extension, the council agreed to schedule an executive session in roughly two weeks so Growing Minds could present detailed financials and a business plan for council members and legal staff to review. The council also discussed possible conditional terms such as fair-market rent, utility payments and clauses to protect taxpayers if a buyer emerges.

The council did not take formal action on the lease at the Nov. 10 meeting; members said they appreciated public turnout and will reconvene to weigh the preschool's plan against redevelopment goals and statutory requirements.