Chair proposes three-year lease extension at 119 West Broad Street as city assesses municipal complex options

The Chair proposed extending the lease at 119 West Broad Street for three years, with the rent increasing by $100 each year starting July 2027, and asked colleagues to move forward with talking to the landlord about extending the police department’s lease. "I would like to make a motion that we extend the lease for three years at 119 West Broad Street, and it would be raised for $100 each year after that starting July '27," the Chair said.

The Chair said the extension would ensure the police department and city offices continue to have space while the city looks for a permanent municipal complex. They described a recent site visit by an architect to the Rosewood Center to evaluate whether it could serve as either city hall or a police facility and said the police chief participated to outline space needs. The transcript’s reference to the architect’s firm and the space estimate was unclear.

The Chair told the body that, based on the assessment, "neither" of the evaluated sites would fit the department’s needs and that purchasing the site was not a viable option. "So neither would fit in here," the Chair said. The Chair added they did not have complete details "off the top of my head," and the record shows no formal vote or final decision on the proposed lease extension during the recorded segments.

No motion mover, seconder or vote tally is recorded in the available transcript. The immediate next steps indicated in the discussion were to discuss the lease extension with the landlord and to continue searching for a municipal complex that meets the police department’s space requirements.