County budgeting for Eaton Center lease to enter new phase
Chenango County's lease at the Eaton Center will enter a new phase in 2024, raising rent at the rate of the consumer price index, which is about 3 percent. (Photo by Tyler Murphy)
NORWICH – In 2014, Chenango County signed an agreement to lease space at the Eaton Center and officials are now preparing for the contract to enter a new phase in 2024.
The Chenango County Board of Supervisors approved the 30-year lease agreement, mainly to accommodate space for the Chenango County court system.
Terms of the agreement outline a flat fee of $350,000 per year for the first ten years.
After the first ten years, rent will be subject to inflation but capped at the rate of the consumer price index, which is a 3 percent increase, explained RC Woodford, Clerk of the Board.
The amount averages to about $425,000 per year for years 10-20 and the county is in the process of preparing next year's budget.
The move to the Eaton Center was to satisfy requirements of the New York State Unified Court System which mandated the county find additional space the growing number of county, family, and surrogate court cases in the state’s Sixth Judicial District.
Town of Guilford supervisor and current chairman of the county board, George Seneck was head of the building and grounds committee at the time and oversaw the relocation.
Seneck said the only alternative to lease space for the offices was to build a new government building, with estimated cost beyond that of the current 30-lease, which is estimated to be about $15.1 million.
“The benefit is, it is in downtown Norwich- the building is privately owned and on the tax roll. There are many other functions there with people going to access the facility, and it has good parking,” said Seneck.
The Eaton Center houses the county’s family, surrogate and drug courts, as well as the court clerks, the law library, the District Attorney’s Office, the Probation Department, and all respective staff. Counties in New York State have been required to provide office space for courts since the creation of the unified court system in 1977. In Chenango County, the law requires at least 12,100 square feet of space for the courts. The county currently rents about 20,000 square feet in total for the court and other related offices.
“There have been many ancillary benefits. To build a new court facility, it would be tax exempt,” said Woodford. “It was a good arrangement to have all those departments and function in one space, it has worked out well I believe.”
The 30 year lease will enter another phase in the last decade of the agreement. The cap raises to 3.5 percent for years 20-30, meaning rent will increase to approximately $550,000 per year for the remaining 10 years of the lease.
– Sun Staff Writer Shawn Magrath contributed to this story.
The Chenango County Board of Supervisors approved the 30-year lease agreement, mainly to accommodate space for the Chenango County court system.
Terms of the agreement outline a flat fee of $350,000 per year for the first ten years.
After the first ten years, rent will be subject to inflation but capped at the rate of the consumer price index, which is a 3 percent increase, explained RC Woodford, Clerk of the Board.
The amount averages to about $425,000 per year for years 10-20 and the county is in the process of preparing next year's budget.
The move to the Eaton Center was to satisfy requirements of the New York State Unified Court System which mandated the county find additional space the growing number of county, family, and surrogate court cases in the state’s Sixth Judicial District.
Town of Guilford supervisor and current chairman of the county board, George Seneck was head of the building and grounds committee at the time and oversaw the relocation.
Seneck said the only alternative to lease space for the offices was to build a new government building, with estimated cost beyond that of the current 30-lease, which is estimated to be about $15.1 million.
“The benefit is, it is in downtown Norwich- the building is privately owned and on the tax roll. There are many other functions there with people going to access the facility, and it has good parking,” said Seneck.
The Eaton Center houses the county’s family, surrogate and drug courts, as well as the court clerks, the law library, the District Attorney’s Office, the Probation Department, and all respective staff. Counties in New York State have been required to provide office space for courts since the creation of the unified court system in 1977. In Chenango County, the law requires at least 12,100 square feet of space for the courts. The county currently rents about 20,000 square feet in total for the court and other related offices.
“There have been many ancillary benefits. To build a new court facility, it would be tax exempt,” said Woodford. “It was a good arrangement to have all those departments and function in one space, it has worked out well I believe.”
The 30 year lease will enter another phase in the last decade of the agreement. The cap raises to 3.5 percent for years 20-30, meaning rent will increase to approximately $550,000 per year for the remaining 10 years of the lease.
– Sun Staff Writer Shawn Magrath contributed to this story.
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