Trustees approve consent agenda including lease move and replacement JPA for Willows senior housing

Trustees approved a consent agenda that included authorization for a lease relocation connected to a University of Minnesota move and a replacement joint powers agreement (JPA) for the Willows senior housing complex in Ham Lake.

Andrew Dyster, director of facilities and management construction, told trustees the lease arrangement covers a five-year term with the ability to extend for two additional two-year terms and came together after the university needed to vacate space the county had been using. Dyster said the timing worked well and credited staff and extension-committee members for landing the new space.

A staff presenter described the replacement JPA with the city of Ham Lake as clarifying and preserving several points: the county-built property will remain senior housing; Ham Lake residents retain placement priority; the county must return to the city before building on an adjacent lot; and the county will have access to an accumulated local levy to fund repairs and upgrades to the building. "We'll keep the Ham Lake residents' priority," the staff presenter said, adding that the agreement secures levy resources for needed maintenance.

Trustee Brassstead moved to approve the consent agenda; Trustee Meisner seconded. A roll-call vote recorded affirmative votes from Trustees Brassstead, Reiner, Gomesh, Schulty, Jeepson, Meisner and Hinrich, and the motion passed unanimously.

The staff presenter also noted the property had been built and financed with county bonding, and the updated JPA formalizes language both parties wanted to retain. With no other business, trustees were reminded to submit contact lists to staff for an upcoming July golf tournament before the meeting was adjourned.