Committee Proposes Lease On Old Winfield School

Huntsville, TN (2011-04-04) The Building and Grounds Committee has recommended to the full Commission a lease agreement with the New River/McCreary County Baptist Association for the use of the old Winfield School Building, paving the way for repairs and improvements to be done to create the Appalachian Mission Center. The Committee recommended as well a rental rate for retail space in the Straight Fork Community Center.

In March, Building and Grounds Committee Chairman Sam Lyles and County Mayor Jeff Tibbals established a subcommittee to negotiate terms of a lease for the old Winfield School Building with the New River/McCreary County Baptist Association, a group of 20 Baptist churches in Scott and McCreary counties. The stated goal of the lease was to create the Appalachian Mission Center, where the Association could provide charitable services for citizens of both areas. Monday night, the subcommittee reported the results of the negotiations.

The lease would have an initial 5-year term, with three 5-year extensions that must be agreed to by both parties. Payment terms were set at one dollar per year. The Association would be responsible for all utilities, as well as replacing the damaged roof over the main part of the building, a project that Tibbals estimated would cost between $50,000 and $100,000. Should the Association not complete the roofing project within one calendar year from the signing of the lease, the lease would be nullified, reverting the building back to County control. One unresolved issue concerns the 501c3, non-profit status of the Association. County Attorney John Beaty is currently seeking answer to that issue.

Payment terms of the lease caused some controversy Monday night, as Commissioner Ron Blevins felt that the Committee was not asking for all it could for the building. “Scott County is not in charity. Scott County is in government, and we need to protect our revenues,” Blevins exhorted. While Blevins did not offer an alternative, he did implore the Commission to reconsider. “This is something that I feel we really need to look into,” Blevins concluded.

Also within the Building and Grounds Committee, Lyles asked the Committee to recommend to the Commission setting a rate for rental on the retail space within the Straight Fork Community Center. The space was most recently occupied by Uniforms Plus. In the former lease agreement, the County was responsible for utility payments, while collecting rent. Lyles recommended the Commission set a rate of $250 per month, and require any future tenant to provide for their own utility usage. “I have talked to Plateau Electric, and they say that space already has its own meter,” stated Tibbals.

Both measures were passed unanimously, and will be considered by the full Commission at its next scheduled meeting on April 18, 2011.