Commissioner Chris Barnett said the Board's move this week to terminate the Josephine Community Library District's current lease for the Grants Pass branch building has established a framework in which to negotiate a new lease.
Barnett -- the Position 2 Commissioner who was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Board on Monday -- said he has no intention of evicting the library.
Per the lease agreement, Josephine County is responsible for routine maintenance, repairs and renovation of the exterior portions of the premises including grounds upkeep, landscaping, parking lots, HVAC and environmental systems.
The Board of Commissioners voted 3-to-0 on Monday to terminate the lease agreement for the property located behind the Courthouse at 200 NW C Street, citing maintenance costs for the building and other county property. The property has been leased to the library district for $1 per year since January 2018.
The building is about 15,000 square feet in size. The lease agreement for the building had an original end date of December 31, 2020, that was later extended through December 31, 2025. The premises include parking areas for library patrons and employees.
Barnett and fellow Commissioner Ron Smith were convinced by recently recalled Commissioner John West to revoke the lease as a means to bring JCLD to the table to renegotiate the agreement.
