Buildings and Grounds committee approves five-year lease renewal for Christ Episcopal Church parking lot

The Buildings and Grounds Committee approved Sept. 2 a five-year renewal, with an additional five-year option, of a lease for a small parking lot used by Christ Episcopal Church on West High Street.

The renewal matters because the county has leased the parcel to the church for more than a decade, the lease had lapsed in 2024, and the church has since paved and striped the lot for parking — changes that affect how the county and church will manage the property going forward.

Chad, a staff member who presented the item to the committee, said the county has rented the parcel to the church "for a number of years. I think it's been over 15 years at this point." He added, "The lease expired in 2024, and I am just now finding out about that a few weeks ago. So it slipped by me," and said he had spoken with Father Roy of Christ Episcopal Church, who "is interested in a renewal." Chad told the committee he had proposed continuing the previous annual rent of $1,300, but said the committee could set a different rate at its discretion.

Committee members asked whether the county retained maintenance responsibility and whether the parcel could be needed for county purposes during the five-year term. Chad replied the church "take[s] care of everything" and that the lot is separate from the county parking lot and is unlikely to be needed by the county during the lease period. A committee member noted the church had paved and striped the lot after leasing it as a previously vacant parcel.

A committee motion "to approve" the renewal was made and approved by voice vote. The minutes record the chair asking, "All in favor?" and members responding "Aye," followed by "Opposed? Motion carries." Individual roll-call votes were not recorded on the transcript.

The committee did not record any additional directions or conditions on the renewal during the discussion. The item concluded and the committee moved on to other business.