November 14, 2000 - 7:00 PM - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Special)

10 375 November 14 , 2000 Special Session The Johnston County Board of Commissioners met in Special Joint Session with the Smithfield Town Council , Tuesday , November 14 , 2000 , at 7 00 pm in the Emergency Operations Center , Johnston County Law Enforcement Center , Smithfield , North Carolina , with the following members Present James H Langdon , Jr , Chairman , Cookie Pope , Vice - Chairman , , Jerry F Wood , DDS , Eleanor N Creech , Thomas M Moore , Wade M Stewart and Allen L Mims , Jr Absent None Also Present Rick Hester , County Manager , Joyce H Ennis , Clerk to the Board , Mark Payne , County Attorney , John R Massey , County Finance Officer , members of the Smithfield Town Council and Town Administration Staff Both Chairmen called the meeting to order and the following business was transacted 1 Library Expansion Project - Old Belk Building Jean Worley , chair of the Library Board of Trustees gave a brief history of the Public Library in Johnston County , which began in 1912 as a woman’s club project She noted in 1967 the County Library and the Smithfield Library merged to form the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield , and moved into their present site In May of 1999 , the vacant Building adjacent to the library property previously the Belk building was purchased by the Library The Boards heard a presentation by architect , Bill McClurg , on the proposed renovation project Mr McClurg outlined the construction costs associated with renovating the two story portion adjacent to the existing facility for library expansion , and the one story portion consisting of 22,000 sq feet for lease to the County for office space It was noted only structural improvements will be included in the project for the area to be leased to the County , with further renovations and furnishing being done at the County’s expense Library Director , Joyce Mitchell , went over the plans for the proposed furnishings , equipment and operation cost that will be needed in the renovation of both the existing library space and the new addition Following discussion , the Smithfield Town Council approved the project and authorized the architect to moved forward with the proposed plans Commissioner Thomas M Moore moved the Board of Commissioners add their support for this project and their approval for the architect to move forward with the plans for renovating and expanding the public library Commissioner Moore further moved the Board approve the following memorandum of understanding between the County and the Town of Smithfield concerning this project Commissioner Eleanor N Creech seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING This Memo randum o f Understa nding betw een John ston Coun ty “ County and the T own of Sm ithfield “ To wn ” is to set out the understanding of the representatives of the Town and the County toward the future use and renovation of that certain property herein referred to as the Belk Building 1 Purchase The Library of Johnston County and Smithfield “ Library ” will continue to make payment for the purchase of the Belk Building un til the existing deb t for the purch ase of the bu ilding is paid Paym ents will be paid from the Ogburn Foundation funds Upon the payment of the debt , ownership of the Belk Building will be vested in the County and the Town ; each possessing an undivided 50 ownership interest in the entire property as set out in the Deed by which the property was transferred 2 Presentation of Renovation Pro ject A special joint meeting of the County , Town , and Library will be convened as quickly as p racticable , d uring which the Library and the Architect re tained by the L ibrary will present to the Boa rds the Libra ry’s propo sal for 1 the ren ovation of the existing Librar y building , 2 the renovation of the Belk Building including an expansion of Library facility using approximately 17,000 square feet in the eastern portion of the Belk Building , and 3 the creation of approx imately 22,000 square feet of office space in the western p ortion of the b uilding intende d for use by the County T he presenta tion will include estimates for the costs of the renovation for each of the three components of the project set out above 3 Payment for Approved R enovations If the proposed Library project is approved by the To wn and C ountyPage376 Boards , then the representatives of the Town and County Boards party to this agreement will recommend a resolution to pay the costs of the renovations as follows the County shall pay 100 of the costs of the renovation and upfit of the portion of the Belk Building that will be used by the County ; the County shall pay for 60 of the costs for the renovation and upfit of the existing Library and the portion of the Belk Building that will be used b y the Library ; the T own shall pa y 40 o f the costs for the re novation a nd upfit of the existing library an d the portio n of the Belk Building tha t will be used b y the Library 4 The County’s Use of the Pro perty The Co unty shall enter into a lease with the Town , as 50 owner of the property whereby the County will have sole possession of the approximately 22,000 square feet in the eastern portion of the building for an annual rental payment of 1000 per year County shall take possession immediate ly upon completion of the renovation project and continue until the expiration of the lease 20 year term 10 year lease with two autom atic - ie , within sole discretion of County – renewals of 5 years each ; the first annual lease payment shall be due and payable to the Library upon occupation of the area by the County and shall continue with twenty consecutive ann ual lease payments 5 Use of the Town Parking Lot The Town will agree to the continued use of the parking lot located adjacent to the property for unrestricted public use for the length of the County’s lease for the use of the Belk Building The Town shall retain undivided own ership of the parking lot property The County will pay for 60 of routine care and mainte nance of the parking lot th day of November , 2000 This the 14 There being no further business , Commissioner Jerry F Wood moved the Board adjourn Commissioner Eleanor N Creech seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote _______________________________________ James H Langdon , Jr , Chairman _____________________________ Joyce H Ennis , ClerkPage