Department of Finance
Reference: Leases with Three Nonprofit Organizations for Historic City Hall
To: Mayor Gregory Mills and Members of City Council
Through: Jane Bais DiSessa, City Manager
Maria Ostrom, Director of Finance
Prepared By: Nicole Samson, Senior Management Analyst
Date Prepared: December 2, 2020
PURPOSE
Staff is requesting City Council approve a lease for the 2021 calendar year with Almost Home for space in Historic City Hall.
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA
Financially Responsible
Strong Regional Relationships and Partnerships
BACKGROUND
The City Manager received direction from the City Council to market space in Historic City Hall to nonprofit organizations that serve the Brighton community. The three leases associated with this agenda item end on December 31, 2021 and have a rental rate of $5.71 a square foot.
The City owns Historic City Hall, located at 22 South 4th Street, and has been leasing space in this building to nonprofit organizations since 2011 as well housing City staff at the facility. There are six nonprofit organizations using space at Historic City Hall currently, besides the Economic Development Corporation and the Brighton History Museum. Three of the leases are ready to be executed. The other agreements will be coming to Council at a later date.
Section 17.3 of the Brighton City Charter states that City Council may not “mortgage or encumber public utilities or permanent public buildings or real or personal property except by ordinance or majority vote of the electors at the option of the Council.”
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Leasing the office space at Historic City Hall helps to defray the cost of utilities and general maintenance of the building and surrounding property. These three leases will offset approximately $27,230 a year in utility costs that the City would cover if the facility were vacant. Also, it provides reasonably priced office space for local nonprofit organizations that serve Brighton residents, which is a valuable commodity for organizations that are struggling during this pandemic to keep their doors open.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Approve the proposed ordinance.
OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
1. Approve the proposed ordinance, which approves leasing office space at Historic City Hall to nonprofit organizations.
2. Do not approve the ordinance and stop leasing space to the nonprofit organizations currently operating out of Historic City Hall.
ATTACHMENTS
An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Brighton, Colorado, approving a lease agreement for City-owned real property located at 22 South 4th Avenue, and authorizing the City Manager to execute said lease agreement on behalf of the City.
Lease for the Almost Home.