The Hampton County Council on Jan. 5 approved a three-year lease with the town of Embassy that sets rent at $500 per month for existing space and $250 per month for additional office space, council members said.

Administrator (Speaker 4), who presented the agreement to the council, summarized key terms including a three-year initial term with operational renewals, a 50/50 approach to certain future door replacements, clarifications on maintenance and capital improvements, and a trailer transition clause documenting staff relocation from a mobile home into the building. "This contract is a 3 year initial term with with the operational renewals," Speaker 4 said while explaining the draft before council.

Why it matters: Council members tied the lease discussion to recent operational planning and a fire and EMS study that recommended moving county staff out of the trailer. Speaker 4 told the council the study was considered when drafting the lease and that the rent figure is "below market rate," noting the county sought terms that balance cost and operational needs.

Council discussion and concerns: Several council members asked for more time to review the contract before finalizing. Speaker 2 questioned whether the council could get a temporary extension and said, "there's no doubt that we don't trust that you negotiated this contract correctly," expressing a desire for additional review. Speaker 4 responded that staff had walked the facility with town representatives, said the county attorney had reviewed the terms and offered to contact "Mister Matt" about a temporary extension while council reviews the agreement. The transcript records no named second for the motion; the motion to approve was made by Speaker 2 and seconded, and Chair (Speaker 1) called for a vote by raised hands.

Operational details: The agreement includes a provision to move staffing from the mobile home into the building and contemplates shared responsibility for certain capital repairs. Council members raised questions about sleeping areas, bathrooms and layout; Speaker 4 said the site visit took those into account.

Next steps: The council put the lease to a vote during the Jan. 5 meeting and the chair called for those in favor to raise their hands; the transcript does not record a roll-call tally. The lease will be enacted under the terms presented unless council takes further procedural steps to amend or extend the current contract before its Jan. 16 expiration.