A huge rent increase has forced the North Oakland Transportation Authority (NOTA) to find a new home in Oxford.
NOTA will be relocating its dispatch center, administrative offices and fleet of 13 vehicles to the beautiful 320-acre campus of Crossroads for Youth at 930 E. Drahner Road.
‘We’re hoping (to move in) by March 15 at the latest,? according to Pat Fitchena, executive director of the local transportation authority.
NOTA provides free public transportation to senior citizens, mentally and physically disabled individuals and welfare-to-work recipients living in Oxford, Addison and Orion townships.
Fitchena said the decision to move ‘the whole operation? over to Crossroads for Youth was a result of Oxford Township nearly tripling its annual rent from $3,600 to $10,000.
‘That was staggering to the (NOTA) board,? she said. ‘It wasn’t even a gradual increase. It was an abrupt increase.?
NOTA is currently housed in 300 square feet of office space at the township-owned Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center on N. Washington St. The fleet is parked behind the center in the northeast quadrant.
Supervisor Bill Dunn justified the increase saying the old rent ‘didn’t take into account heat, utilities, janitorial services, parking, things like that.?
‘No one ever took a good look at it ? a look at what it should be,? he said. ‘We were undercharging NOTA.?
Dunn said he used comparable lease prices based on square-footage to come up with a ‘more scientific? and ‘accurate? approach to calculating the new rent.
These new numbers didn’t sit well with NOTA.
‘We started to look (for a new place) at that point,? Fitchena said. ‘I went up and down M-24 here, trying to find a place for everything ? the vehicles, employee parking, the offices. Crossroads asked us to come there and take a look at what they had to offer.?
The youth facility’s proposal was a ‘no-brainer,? according to Fitchena.
In exchange for $500 per month in rent including utilities, NOTA will receive approximately 800 square feet of space in Crossroads? Chamberlin Building.
Dr. Janet McPeek, president of Crossroads for Youth, said the building is currently used by outside groups for after-school and weekend activities and by summer campers as a cafeteria. It also houses some employees.
NOTA’s space will be transformed into offices for the executive director and operations manager, dispatch center and a conference room.
Based on bids received for the construction, Fitchena estimated the project will cost around $14,000.
To help cover NOTA’s moving expenses and the cost of new office furniture, Fitchena said she’s applied for a grant from the DTE Energy Foundation. The winners will be announced in June.
In addition to the rental space, Fitchena said Crossroads ‘opened up the rest of that building to our drivers to use as a lunch room,? complete with stove, microwave, refrigerator, tables and restrooms.
As for NOTA’s four mini-buses and nine vans, she said, ‘They have plenty of room for our vehicles.?
‘We were also told a garage will be made available to us for oil changes,? according to Fitchena.
Fitchena had nothing but praise for Crossroads? willingness to work with NOTA and come to the organization’s rescue. ‘They have bent over backwards to welcome us.?
‘The township and village have always been incredibly good to Crossroads for Youth,? McPeek said. ‘It made sense from a collaboration standpoint.?
‘From our perspective, the more people we have coming on campus, the better. It gives exposure to what we do.?