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Committee approves 10-year lease for county law offices at Jamestown property
Summary
The Administrative Services Committee voted to authorize a 10-year lease with Jamestown Rental Properties LLC for a building in Mayville to house the county law and social services law departments; owner to cover utilities, the county to pay phone/internet and a one-time setup cost.
The Chautauqua County Administrative Services Committee approved a 10-year lease with Jamestown Rental Properties LLC for a building in Mayville that the county intends to use to consolidate the county law department and the social services law unit.
County Attorney Anna Morgan told the committee the space — formerly a doctor’s office — was selected after an extended search and that the move is driven by the need to house roughly 25 employees and to meet confidentiality requirements for legal and social services records. “We cannot share offices with other people,” Morgan said, adding that the social services unit needs “a very strict, and secured environment” for files and digital databases.
Tim Carr, director of public facilities, said the building is 7,500 square feet and that the county is negotiating a 10-year lease at $14 per square foot that “does include the build outs.” Carr said the owner will be responsible for utilities including heat, electric and cleaning; the county will cover phone and internet service and installation. Morgan told the committee the county expects a one-time cost to equip the space — phone, internet and office furniture — of about $18,400.
Morgan also addressed why the committee had tabled the resolution at the February Public Facilities Committee meeting: outstanding property tax liabilities tied to the LLC that owns the building. She said the owner applied for a loan from Lakeshore Savings Bank to consolidate mortgages and pay the outstanding county property taxes, and that the loan is conditioned on paying those taxes. “The loan is conditioned upon him paying off the taxes to the county,” Morgan said, and she told the committee that the owner’s financing is structured to pay the county taxes immediately when distributed.
Committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions during discussion. The committee voted to approve the lease authorization; the meeting record does not show a roll-call tally by name.
The lease approval follows the county’s stated need to consolidate legal staff and to secure space that meets confidentiality requirements. The county will retain responsibility for technology costs and a one-time equipment charge; the owner will be responsible for utilities and cleaning under the lease agreement.
The committee proceeded after the vote to the next agenda item.
