Lenoir City OKs lease agreement

Jeremy Nash news-herald.net

Lenoir City Council on Monday moved forward with a lease agreement with GFWC Suburbia Women’s Club for the Lenoir City Park Cabin. The lease is four years with automatic renewal beginning on or about April 1. The club will be responsible for paying $1 per year.

Councilmen Jim Shields and Brandon James motioned and seconded with the vote passing 5-0. Councilman Bobby Johnson Sr., was absent.

“We felt like the property wasn’t being maintained the way we thought it should be,” Tony Aikens, Lenoir City mayor, said. “Obviously, I think that’s a fine lady (the caretaker) over there that’s renting it; it’s nothing to do with her. I just feel like that the appearance of the property has not been maintained the way it should.” Aikens also said the new agreement could save the city money. In prior years the city would be about $3,800 in the hole annually for bills and upkeep for outside maintenance. The Suburbia Women’s Club will be responsible for paying the electric bill, he said.

“Now $3,800 a year in the scheme of things is a drop in the bucket,” Aikens said. “However, it’s $3,800 that we should be looking out for. Those $3,800 makes thousands and so we was going in the hole about $3,800 a year. … We’re in a time of video cameras that we can put up, and we’re going to. So we’re in a different era. So I think that it’s going to be fine. I’ve worked it out to where William Jenkins, who is in charge of maintenance here at city hall and The Venue, he’s going over there in the mornings. He’s going to check it, he’s going to clean it up.” During the summer, Aikens said arrangement will be made to ensure a city employee is on call if “there’s a lot of activity over there.”

“We’re not going to have to pay an employee to be over there,” Aikens said.

“We’re going to utilize what we already have in-house on staff already, so we’re not paying out that. We’re probably going to save $10,000 or $12,000 a year.” The keys should officially be turned over in June before the Lenoir City Arts and Crafts Festival, Aikens said.

“It’s huge for us,” Jennifer Wampler, councilwoman and women’s club member, said. “We’ve been doing this I believe it’s 58 years. Everything we do is centered around that. We have the one annual event and I mean it’s big. Being able to be over there and on site will change all that we do.

“Right now we’re meeting in the visitors center,” she added. “So we’re a very small group, there’s probably under 20, and so getting things moved back and forth is very, very difficult.”

Hopes are to open up the property for other clubs needing a place to meet, she said.

“Our thing will be just to beautify and bring more attention to the park,” Wampler said. “… I think we’re underutilized at the park. I don’t think people realize how beautiful it is, and I think by bringing more clubs and more groups over there it brings more attention. It’s what we do for the community. Everything that we raise goes back into the community, and we’ve given a lot of money to the community and to the park. Hopefully we’re going to be donating to the splash pad, but just to bring awareness of how beautiful it is.”

In other news, Lenoir City Council:

• Awarded a landscaping three-year contract to Brewster’s Services Group for $43,555.68 per year. The only other bid was Vineyard Lawn LLC, with the first year being $92,500, the second year costing $94,350 and the third year totaling $96,237.

• Approved the purchasing committee’s recommendation going to bid for resurface work of Browder Hollow Road and Johnson Drive.

• Granted permission to bid repair work of the parking area at Rock Springs Park.

• Approved permission to bid a vehicle for use in the public works department.

• Amended the city’s purchasing policies and procedures as it pertains to surplus property. Previously anything over $100 required going to public auction or govdeals. That amount has been pushed to $1,000 or more. Anything less than that will be up to the purchasing agent.

• Noted city council will meet next at 6 p.m. April 8 at Highland Park Ruritan Club at 860 U.S. Highway 321 North in Lenoir City.