Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Port Lease topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Putnam County Port Authority approves short lease extension for tenant amid questions about contract timing
Summary
The Putnam County Port Authority authorized a two–quarter extension of a short-term lease at the Port Annex for tenant Copper Roads, approving the county administrator’s signature after debate about whether the county complied with the lease's 90-day renewal notice clause. The motion passed 3-2.
The Putnam County Port Authority on July 8 approved a six-month extension (two additional three-month terms) of a short-term lease at the Port Annex for tenant Copper Roads, voting 3-2 to authorize the chair to sign extension documents.
The extension was described by Sam Sullivan, Port Authority staff, as part of a short-term arrangement the board previously approved in January. "Before you is an extension to a lease on the southern end of our Port Annex back in January. The board approved a short term lease, to Copper Roads. Copper Roads is just asking for 2 of their 3 months extensions to make it, up to a 1 year total," Sullivan said.
Commissioners questioned whether the county had followed the lease's requirement to negotiate any extension at least 90 days before the current term ended. "Aren't we within that, mister Commando, right now?" asked Commissioner Pellicer, referencing contract language that calls for 90 days' notice. County counsel and staff explained the lease allows extensions of up to six additional three-month terms but that conversations should occur at least 90 days before expiration. "If nothing's negotiated, the options are the lease can terminate July 30," staff said.
Commissioners also disputed which yard cleanup had been promised in lieu of a security deposit. Pellicer cited a $10,800 security-deposit waiver connected to Exhibit B, which he said discusses removal of roughly 400 cubic yards of broken concrete. Sam Sullivan said the concrete pile had been removed but that the large round "donut" pile of wood some commissioners had expected to be removed was not part of that agreement.
After discussion and several commissioners indicating they had been given differing impressions of what work would substitute for a security deposit, a motion was made to authorize the chair's signature on the extension documents. The motion passed 3-2.
The extension is short-term and the staff noted the tenant cannot remain on the premises more than a total of two years because the area is a planned dredging-material site for a future port dredging project. The board did not adopt any additional terms beyond authorizing the extension paperwork and asked staff to follow up on the outstanding questions about improvements described in exhibit materials.
The Port Authority meeting then closed and the Board of County Commissioners reconvened.
