SACO ⁠— A tentative plan is in place for the 5-year lease of a former Toddle Inn daycare building for the city’s Pre-K program.

The School Department had anticipated using the former daycare building at 5 Willey Road to house its Pre-K program this current school year, and had last year signed a 10-year lease with the Toddle Inn company. The building, however, was never used for the city’s Pre-K program. The city ordered the school department to vacate 5 Willey Road last summer, stating that the use of the building as a public school was prohibited by covenants in the Spring Hill Business Park, where the property is located.

The school department found other accommodations for the Pre-K program, holding classes in multiple locations in the city.

A revised tentative settlement agreement with the owner of the Toddle Inn building was approved by both the city council and the school board in executive sessions this past week.

A written statement on behalf of the city, school department and Toddle Inn was issued Friday afternoon regarding the tentative agreement. According to the statement, the tentative settlement includes a 5-year lease of 5 Willey Road for the city’s Pre-K program, pending review by the city’s code and planning departments.

“Toddle Inn’s facility was built specifically for children’s needs and will help them adjust to their first public school experience by offering a safe and welcoming atmosphere. When the building was constructed, all classrooms and playgrounds were intentionally designed with the young child in mind and will meet the developmental needs of the city’s Pre-K students,” said officials in the statement.

Toddle Inn will continue to pay all real estate and personal property taxes on the building, according to the statement. Officials said in the statement that leasing the Toddle Inn building will save the taxpayers of Saco the significant expense of purchasing or building out comparable space for Pre-K, and it will allow for Pre-K students to be in one location without modular buildings.

“All sides have made concessions to make this agreement possible for the children and families of Saco,” said officials.

Once code and planning board reviews of 5 Willey Road are complete, the city will issue a statement regarding the final agreement.

Though the settlement agreement is still pending, there is reference of 5 Willey Road in school department budget documents for the upcoming fiscal year. School budget documents mention an estimate of $252,000 for the rental of the former Toddle Inn building for Pre-K space for the upcoming school year, in place of the $41,000 needed for the current lease space for Pre-K.