Commissioners ok staff negotiation of Supervisor of Elections lease; design work to await lease terms

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously April 1 to authorize county staff to negotiate a lease for a property the Supervisor of Elections is considering for administrative offices and to continue design work with contingencies tied to finalized lease terms.

Supervisor of Elections Samuel Hayes told commissioners he prefers the building for administrative functions while keeping warehousing and vehicle access at the current facility. Commissioners and staff said they would not proceed with renovations until the lease terms, projected construction costs and common-area charges were clarified.

Why it matters: The property under consideration is a leased building in Tavares. Commissioners flagged two budgetary constraints: (1) renovation costs for leased space cannot be funded with infrastructure sales tax proceeds, and (2) common-area maintenance and insurance charges payable under a triple-net lease could add significant annual costs.

Key points and outcome - Commissioner Smith moved — and Commissioner Sabatini seconded — a motion directing staff to negotiate a lease and return it to the board for approval; the motion passed unanimously (5–0). - Commissioners said design work could be permitted to proceed only if the board remains free to reject construction when renovation cost estimates are presented; one commissioner suggested including a requirement that the architect produce bid-ready plans to enable competitive hard-bid construction rather than a construction-manager approach. - County staff reported the landlord’s current tenant is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and may not vacate the building until May; that uncertainty affects timing for any lease start date.

Costs and financial details discussed - The architect’s fee for design was discussed; a commissioner noted it was roughly $72,000 and questioned paying that before lease terms are set. - An internal estimate for renovation costs was given at about $150 per square foot, producing a rough construction total of $2 million to $3 million depending on final scope. - Staff said current tenant charges for common-area maintenance and insurance were approximately $65,000 per year; that amount may change in a renegotiated lease.

Staff follow-up and next steps: The board asked staff to negotiate lease terms and to return the written lease to the board for approval before construction proceeds. The board also directed that any approval to proceed with design be contingent on later approval of lease terms and that staff present final renovation price estimates before committing to construction.

Ending: For now, staff will proceed with lease negotiations and report back; no construction or lease execution will occur without subsequent board approval.