City accepts new lease with public health

    The Washington City Council discussed its lease with Washington County Public Health at its meeting Wednesday night. The council voted 5-0 to agree to a lease with public health. Russ Zieglowsky was absent. The city may terminate the lease but must give public health 60 days notice of the termination. Public health will continue to pay the city $400 per month to rent the second floor of the former library.

    The original lease the city had with public health was for a one-year term which expired in December. After it expired, it reverted to a month-to-month agreement.

    City Administrator David Plyman remarked, ?There needs to be some sort of limitation of our obligation. If this building ever becomes unsuitable for occupancy, due to circumstances beyond our control, we shouldn?t have any obligation to public health beyond reimbursement of rent.?

    Mayor Sandra Johnson asked Plyman if public health had suggested another amount for the rent.

    ?They haven?t suggested any other number,? said Plyman. ?I suppose we could make that suggestion to them.?

    Johnson said, ?I haven?t run the numbers on the energy consumption of late, but I suspect that as long as we?re using this floor for our chambers, we?re going to need some heat in here. But I have concerns that the $400 does not cover their utilities.?

    ?I think $400 is a huge bargain,? said Plyman. ?I don?t think our intent was ever to look at this as a revenue stream. It was more an attempt to be helpful to public health.?

    Councilor Fred Stark commented, ?They are a good tenant. We don?t have to worry about anything that could get out of hand.?

    ?I?m comfortable with the status quo,? said councilor Merlin Hagie.

    ?You don?t have a problem with a possible subsidization of a county department?? asked Johnson.

For the full story, see the Feb. 4 edition of The Washngton Evening Journal