Des Moines County board approves $1-per-month commercial lease with Imagine the Possibilities

The Des Moines County Board voted to approve a commercial lease with Imagine the Possibilities effective Aug. 1, 2025, covering a set of county properties in Burlington and near Northern Drive and Racine Avenue and maintaining a nominal rent of $1 per month on a month-to-month tenancy.

The chair read terms of the agreement to the board, saying the landlord is Des Moines County and listing properties included in the lease. The lease was described as a commercial lease beginning 08/01/2025, continuing month to month, and requiring a 30-day written notice to terminate the tenancy.

Board business included motion and a second to approve the agreement. The board conducted a roll-call style approval; the transcript records members named in the roll call and their responses, with Tom Bridal, Shane McCampbell and Jim Carrey recorded as voting “yes.” The motion carried.

During public input a resident asked why the properties were leased for $1 per month; the board explained the arrangement traces to earlier payment and lease-structuring decisions and said the county was keeping the same nominal rental amount rather than a lump-sum payment. A county attorney’s office representative noted that the nonprofit Hope Haven is no longer treated as a separate legal entity for insurance and legal purposes, which affects how leases are held.

The lease text read into the record lists specific addresses included in the agreement and sets the tenancy as month-to-month beginning Aug. 1, 2025, with the 30-day written notice termination requirement. The board moved on to other agenda items after approving the lease.