Monongalia County approves $500,000 package to help development authority repair elevator, restate lease terms

The Monongalia County Commission voted April 30 to approve a package of agreements and a grant totaling $500,000 to the Monongalia County Development Authority to fund elevator replacement and water‑line repairs at the Wards building and to restate the lease‑purchase terms for the property.

The grant and associated documents were presented as a coordinated package that also restates the purchase/lease terms, formalizes a continued leasing arrangement for MAP (referred to in the record as “MAP” or “MAPS”), sets a revised purchase price, and creates enforcement language to ensure payments in lieu of taxes from non‑government tenants are collected and remitted to the county.

Commission members said the Development Authority is cash‑strapped, the building’s elevator is nonfunctional and major tenants rely on access to the third floor. A county official summarized the package: the grant agreement provides $500,000, of which $370,000 is allocated to the elevator replacement and water‑line repairs and $130,000 is designated for MAP’s dues for fiscal year 2026. The amended lease/purchase restates that the purchase price is adjusted to $1,000,000 and establishes a repayment schedule beginning July 1, 2025, with annual payments of $50,000 for 20 years.

Russ, a representative of the Monongalia County Development Authority who spoke during the meeting, thanked the commission and described the building as a long‑term successful downtown asset. “I just want to sincere thank you from both the development authority side, but also the partnership side and being a great partners in development,” Russ said. He added that the building is fully leased and that fixing the elevator is critical to continued operation.

Documents approved included a grant agreement, a first amendment and restatement of the lease‑purchase agreement, a MAP lease provision, assignment of rents provision (to allow county collection of tenant rents if the authority defaults), and related instruments to effect the changes and protections the county requested. Under the amended terms the county will retain the basement and fourth floor for county storage in perpetuity; if the authority exercises an option to purchase the building it would enter into a nominal lease for the retained floors.

Commissioners said the urgency was driven by the timeline for elevator replacement bids, which require an upfront payment. The commission moved to approve the documents and authorized the county president to sign the agreements; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The agreements set payments to start July 1, 2025, and create a 20‑year repayment period (annual $50,000 payments) to amortize the restructured purchase obligation. The record shows the county will also receive greater enforcement language to ensure payments in lieu of taxes are collected from non‑government tenants and applied as required by the county.

The Commission and Development Authority said the plan is intended to make the building mechanically sound and to preserve its role as an office rental asset downtown. Commissioners and counsel referenced prior long‑running agreements and noted the new documents clarify collection and default remedies to protect the county’s interest.

The commission approved the president signing the documents; no roll‑call vote counts were provided in the minutes.

The lease and grant documents approved April 30 will be executed and used to begin elevator procurement and the water‑line repair work. The county indicated it will accept invoices and move forward with payments so bids for a new elevator can proceed.