When Journey Community Church left Conifer, it left behind a debt to Jefferson County Public Schools.
District spokeswoman Melissa Reeves confirmed that the church still owes nearly $17,500 for use of Conifer High School facilities over the course of 11 months.
“This is an anomaly for sure,” Reeves said about the amount owed by an organization for use of school facilities.
The debt is in building funds that do not go directly to specific schools, meaning Conifer High School is not affected by it. Reeves said that the church is communicating with the district regarding payment.
Reeves also said the district decided not to renew a contract with the church in July 2013 because it owed too much money.
Journey church started meeting at the school in 2008, staying until June 2010, Reeves said The group returned in September 2011. The money owed now is for use of multiple rooms — which requires custodial staff be on hand — from August 2012 through July 2013.
“That’s part of the whole issue that went on with the financial issues that came up,” said Mike O’Connor, a representative of the church, which now meets in Denver as the Denver Chapel.
O’Connor said that part of the problem was also a misunderstanding between church and school staff that church staff could do some work directing traffic or shoveling snow at the school that would help pay off some of the debt.
But Reeves said the school was in constant communication with the church about money owed and their payments. She could not confirm that such a mix-up was possible.
O’Connor said that the church hopes to pay off the debt if and when it sells its property at 10101 Jefferson County 73, which is near Conifer High School.
Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JosieKlemaier
