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Union County Approves $1‑Per‑Year Lease of Arts Center and Parking Lot; Two Commissioners Abstain
Summary
A 20‑year lease of the Union County Arts Center and adjoining parking lot to the nonprofit Union County Performing Arts Center for $1 per year was approved 7‑2 on May 28; the county retains responsibility for repairs and upkeep, and two commissioners abstained.
The Board approved Resolution 2026‑382 on May 28 authorizing the County Manager to enter into a lease with Union County Arts Center, Inc., doing business as Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC), for the Arts Center building and adjoining parking lot for the rental sum of $1 per year for the period June 5, 2026–June 4, 2046.
The motion passed 7‑2, with Chairman Joseph C. Bodek and Commissioner Alexander Mirabella recorded as abstentions. County Manager Edward T. Oatman said the county owns the UCPAC parking lot and would lease it to the Arts Center for $1 annually, adding that “the County would be responsible for the repairs and upkeep.”
Why it matters: the long‑term, nominal‑rent lease effectively transfers operational use of county property to the nonprofit UCPAC for two decades while maintaining county responsibility for capital repairs and upkeep. The minutes do not include a written lease in the record, an independent appraisal, or discussion in the minutes about the rationale for the two abstentions.
What the record shows: the resolution was presented and passed as part of the consent agenda but with two abstentions recorded. The minutes note that the county will handle repairs and upkeep and that the lease term is 20 years; they do not detail maintenance schedules, capital responsibility limits, or whether a maintenance reserve is required.
Next steps: the County Manager is authorized to execute the necessary documents to effectuate the lease. Any detailed lease terms, maintenance plans, or related cost estimates were not included in the public minutes and may be available in the executed lease documents or by OPRA request.
