The Management Services Committee on Sept. 3 approved language to add to the county's workforce development office lease that would allow the county to terminate the lease if the lessee ceases operations because of lost funding.

Committee members said the lessee asked for language acknowledging that its operations depend on federal, state and county appropriations, grants and other funds and that the organization might be unable to continue if funding is not forthcoming. Several members said the lease language should include a clear notice procedure or trigger so county officials can determine when termination is appropriate.

"If they don't get any funding," one committee member said, "they would not be able to operate." The committee agreed to add a paragraph to the lease with a notice period and to forward the proposed language for review by county counsel Michael Quinlan (state's attorney) before placement on the full board agenda. A motion to add the provision with the attorney's approval was seconded and passed by roll call votes recorded as yes from Balcon, Crow, Star, Watts, Grant and Surgenson.

Why it matters: workforce development services are often funded by a mix of federal, state and local sources; the amendment creates a contractual path for the county and lessee to address the event that funding lapses and the lessee cannot continue operations.

The committee instructed staff to draft the precise lease paragraph, locate it near the lease's termination provisions (section 16 was discussed), and return the language for legal review prior to final approval by the full board.