Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ut Extension Lease topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Carter County OKs drafting $1-per-year lease for UT Extension at Judge Don Long Boulevard building
Summary
The commission voted to have staff draft a lease offering the newly acquired Judge Don Long Boulevard building to the University of Tennessee Extension for $1 per year, with the county covering utilities and cleaning. Extension staff described plans for 4-H, a commercial kitchen and community programs.
The Carter County Commission voted to direct staff to draft a lease that would allow the University of Tennessee (UT) Extension to occupy the county'owned building at 129 Judge Don Long Boulevard for $1 per year, with the county agreeing to pay utilities and cleaning costs.
Commissioners discussed the terms after the county's acquisition of the property was reported to the body. The motion, which a commissioner amended to specify the space be used solely by UT Extension, passed on the floor after a brief discussion about lease length and building operations.
Roger Clark, Carter County's 4-H agent, outlined programs the Extension plans to house in the building, including 4-H clubs and day/overnight camps, youth judging teams, wildlife and forestry programs, and a regional Angler Adventure Camp that recently filled fast. "We offer three judging teams in Carter County...We still do 4-H camp," Clark said, describing both ongoing youth programs and regional events.
Cara Beth, identified as a program assistant for UT Extension, described new and existing educational offerings the space could support, including a chick chain program for children and plans for canning and food-preservation classes once equipment is available. She said a commercial kitchen and demonstration kitchen could serve both Extension classes and entrepreneurs working with the farmers market.
Commissioners pressed for clarity on how much of the 10,000-square-foot facility UT Extension would occupy and whether space should be reserved for county storage or other departments. One commissioner said the commission originally purchased the building specifically for UT Extension and opposed using portions for other county departments.
County staff and commissioners discussed next steps including a simple lease form, whether the lease should auto-renew, and the need for a building-operations review (building-and-grounds committee was mentioned) before final execution. The county also discussed potential outside funding and donated labor to offset build-out costs for any specialized facilities.
The commission approved the directive to draft the lease; commissioners said final lease terms and operations would return to the commission for approval if substantive changes are required.
