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County staff seeks OK to lease Pete Miele kitchen to Hispanic Restaurant Association for culinary institute
Summary
Adams County staff asked the Board of Commissioners on July 22 for authorization to negotiate a lease that would convert the Pete Miele Human Services Center kitchen into a Hispanic Culinary Institute operated by the Hispanic Restaurant Association.
Adams County staff asked the Board of Commissioners on July 22 for direction to proceed with negotiating a lease for kitchen space at the Pete Miele Human Services Center with the Hispanic Restaurant Association (HRA).
Deputy county manager Amir Fakir told commissioners the deal is intended to convert an underused public kitchen into a public–private hub the county and residents would both use. "We are seeking authorization to proceed with leasing the kitchen space at the Pete Miele's human services center," Fakir said during the presentation.
The HRA proposal — to be called the Hispanic Culinary Institute in collaboration with Adams County — would offer daily meal service, discounted grab‑and‑go options for county employees, catering and commissary services, and weekly culinary and small‑business training. John Jaramillo, president of the Hispanic Restaurant Association, said the group brings chefs and university faculty to teach and operate bilingual and low‑cost online training. "We brought a few couple members...we're bringing a world class level of knowledge that we wanna bring to Adams County," Jaramillo said.
Staff outlined a nominal lease structure: $10 for year one, $100 for year two, then transition to a revenue‑based or fee structure after year two. Fakir said the tenant would fund startup and operating costs; the county would share limited maintenance duties with its facilities and fleet team. Fakir said the arrangement would be structured to avoid county upfront costs.
Commissioners and staff pressed for details about the program's student pipeline and partnerships with local high schools and workforce centers. HRA representatives described plans for a Certified Culinary Professional program, youth cadet tracks and ties to ProStart high‑school programs. Commissioners asked how the institute would recruit students from Adams County and how the county’s employees would be served; HRA said it would begin outreach once the lease is approved and mix industry apprenticeships, online curricula and in‑kitchen training.
What happens next: staff asked the board for authorization to finalize deal points with the county attorney’s office and to return a final lease for approval in a public hearing. Fakir and other staff said the final lease would be brought back to the board for formal action.
The county attorney's office and facilities staff confirmed they have reviewed implementation and maintenance processes and will supervise final lease language and operating terms. Commissioners indicated support for the concept and asked staff to keep outreach to local school districts and the workforce center active during lease negotiations.
If the board provides the requested authorization, the county and HRA will finalize a lease for the commission’s formal approval in a later public meeting; no final contract or county funding was approved at the July 22 session.
Ending: The project remains a proposal that staff said could activate unused kitchen capacity, add employee meal options and create career pathways in hospitality if commissioners authorize staff to finish lease terms and file the document for an upcoming public hearing.
