LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a 15-year lease with the Kelseyville Unified School District for the Gard Street School property, which will be the new home for the Child Support Services Department.
The approval brought to an end close to a year of work by County Administrative Office staff, which analyzed options to help the department meet its need to expand and also negotiated the lease with the district.
The closure of the school, located at 3980 Gard St., was part of a March 2011 financial recovery plan the district had to create to deal with being placed in “qualified” fiscal status by the state for an out-of-balance budget, as Lake County News has reported.
In April 2011 Supervisor Rob Brown initially asked the Board of Supervisors to consider purchasing the property for use as a campus for several county departments. The board approved considering a purchase and then-County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox later put aside nearly $1 million in the budget for a possible purchase.
However, it later was determined that the district couldn't sell the building, so instead county officials said they looked at the option for a lease.
In April 2013, the district board approved a resolution declaring the intent to lease the school as surplus property, according to the lease document.
Deputy County Administrative Officer Alan Flora told the board Tuesday that the Kelseyville Unified School District Board approved the proposed lease at its meeting last week.
The lease calls for the county to utilize the property's two main classrooms, amounting to 11,000 square feet, which would give Child Support Services 30 percent more space than it now has, Flora said.
In addition, the lease offers a monthly rent of $2,500, which Flora said is below market value, in exchange for the county funding the necessary improvements to utilize the classrooms as office space. The county would sublet the space to Child Support Services.
Among the funds to be used for the project are $230,000 in building reserves that Child Support Services had been saving, it was noted during the meeting, along with one-time general fund monies to cover additional portions of the project.
The lease's initial term is for 15 years, with options to renew for three five-year terms, Flora said.
Upon approval of the lease, the county would have full access and early occupancy, and so could begin making improvements. Flora said the district won't begin charging rent until it receives a certificate of occupancy.
Due to the significant investment the county intends to make in the property, the lease can only be terminated in the first 15 years by mutual consent of both parties. If the option for an extension of the term is exercised, either party could terminate the agreement with a 12-month advance notice, Flora said.
He said the county will be responsible for demolishing and removing a small modular that was the student services building in order to create additional parking.
The county has a renovation plan that is being finalized before it goes out to bid, according to Flora.
Flora said the county also will assume full responsibility for the building's maintenance, including all improvements it makes.
“It’s been a really interesting and long process,” said Child Support Services Director Gail Woodworth, who was a member of the county negotiating team.
She said her staff is anxious to get moving and excited about the larger space, which will be crucial now that the federal government is indicating that Child Support Services will have to take on more duties relating to custody and visitation.
“I think it’s a good move for us and I think it's a good move for Kelseyville,” she said.
Finley resident Phil Murphy – referring to the recent Lake County Office of Education annual report that showed declining enrollment and a reduction of 1,000 children in local schools over the last several years – asked why Child Support Services needed to expand.
“Our average caseload is maintaining at the same rate,” said Woodworth.
She explained that the additional space will house staff that will be brought on to meet the new duties directed by the federal government.
Murphy also questioned the wisdom of moving the department to Kelseyville, which he believed would be less accessible.
Flora said county staff considered several options, including keeping Child Support Services at its current location at 525 N. Main St. and upgrading the building. They also considered the former location of the Mendocino College Lake Center on Parallel Drive along with Gard Street School.
Gard Street School's accessibility didn't come up as a major concern since it's mostly to be used as an office space, Flora said.
“I disagree with this and I have from the very beginning,” said Supervisor Anthony Farrington.
Farrington has opposed moving Child Support Services from Lakeport, and on Tuesday he said he also didn't support using general fund monies for the project.
“In the end I think it’s good for Kelseyville,” but detrimental to Lakeport, he said.
Board Chair Denise Rushing said she doesn't think it’s a great policy to spread jobs around but to use assets they already have.
However, she said the lease agreement was helping the Kelseyville Unified School District and Child Support Services, although she felt bad Lakeport was losing the jobs.
Brown moved to approve the lease agreement. The board voted 4-1, with Farrington voting no.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.