Outside company to manage Gateway center

Changes are underway at Northwest Montana United Way and the Gateway Community Center as the organizations’ Board of Directors and other stakeholders determine how the center, where two-dozen resident agencies offer vital services, will be managed and maintained following the recent resignation of longtime United Way Executive Director Sherry Stevens.

According to Carol Nelson, chairperson of the United Way board, as the transition in United Way leadership occurs, one of the board’s top priorities is guaranteeing the Gateway center continues to serve its mission as a one-stop shop for human services where nonprofit entities work together to help the valley’s most in-need residents.

“We know that agencies that have moved in here [the center] have grown. And we know that our community is using the facility and that it’s needed,” Nelson said. “We do so much good here.”

The board, representatives of tenants in the building and other parties such as the Flathead County Economic Development Authority, which owns and leases a large portion of the center to TTec, met on Wednesday to discuss the future of the building. And according to Nelson, the group — known currently as the advisory council — determined it would be best if a third-party company is brought in to manage the space and its tenants.

Nelson explained Stevens had managed the building for years in addition to her duties as executive director, but the job had become “too much for one person.” She said all aspects of property management such as rental agreements, construction updates on vacant units in the center, and more, were documented by Stevens and will “be passed on to whoever takes it from here.”

The council has not yet selected which company will be brought in to manage the property, but Nelson and other board members will act as property managers for Gateway in the interim.

“We are working closely together and I’m feeling very positive about it,” Nelson said.

The center — described by Nelson as United Way’s most significant undertaking and passion project to date — will remain a nonprofit entity as well.

Gateway Community Center earned tax-exempt status in 2015 after United Way purchased the 100,643 square-foot portion of the former mall building, the center’s parking lot and 2 additional acres for $2.4 million with financial loan assistance from Glacier Bank and a guarantor who provided $600,000.

The center, which files taxes under the name Westside CCC, will continue to receive fiduciary oversight from its board of directors, which Nelson said is the same board for Northwest Montana United Way. A list of board members was recently made available on United Way’s website as a large step toward practicing transparency, something many have alleged Stevens failed to prioritize during her last few years as executive director.

In an interview last week, when asked about Stevens’ management of United Way and, by association, the Gateway center, Nelson emphasized “we are now working toward the positive future of the United Way.”

According to Nelson, more than a decade ago, the board voted to not make the names of its members public. She said she can’t recall the reasoning, but last week the board voted to reverse that.

“It was a policy that had been in place for probably 15 years,” Nelson said. “We changed that because we are very proud to be board members and are glad to have our names available. I have been giving the list out to anybody that wants it.”

As the search for a new executive director for United Way continues, Nelson said board members have been assisting employees and volunteers at the organization’s office in Gateway to guarantee the doors remain open and that services are provided. Nelson added that Stevens is in no way involved with managing the organizations, despite Stevens announcing she would be assisting in the transition process after her resignation by “serving as an independent contractor.”

In an interview on Thursday, Nelson candidly discussed financial challenges at United Way and, by current association, the Gateway Community Center.

She said primary goals moving forward are to pay off what remains of the building’s loan, complete the build-outs of several units in the center and upgrade interior and exterior public areas, including the parking lot that is in need of significant upgrades. However, she stressed there is currently very limited money available to proceed with any of these goals and the building continues to rely on a loyal group of volunteers for building upgrades and more.

But Nelson hopes that will change in the near future.

She said the board has discussed launching a capital campaign in order to finance the goals for Gateway — an undertaking Nelson recognizes will not be an easy feat. There is currently no start date for the campaign, but she hopes the eventual fundraising will bring in enough money to pay off the building, start major property improvements and have enough left over a reserve fund, in her ideal scenario.

“We were hoping to start a capital campaign soon, but we’ve kind of put that on hold for a little bit until we get other things figured out. We felt like we needed to get our feet on the ground a little bit more before we do that,” Nelson said. “This has kind of been a year of turmoil, so we are postponing it until we’re a little more stable.”

The Daily Inter Lake recently reported on some of that turmoil, which includes two separate lawsuits brought against Northwest Montana United Way and Stevens in the last 18 months, allegations of mismanagement and financial mishandlings by Stevens, and more.

Nelson and the board members have been instructed by legal counsel not to discuss anything that may impact pending litigation and therefore could not address the allegations and other issues.

But regardless, Nelson said the board and others are working hard to address concerns in the community and move forward with transparent practices.

“What we do here at Gateway is really remarkable,” Nelson said in regard to the work being done by the nonprofit organizations that call the center home. “I think everyone would agree we need this here.”

Reporter Kianna Gardner can be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com