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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-18-2002 - 8q ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 18, 2002 Action Agenda Item No. —Q-4+ - SUBJECT: Authonzation for County Manager to Negotiate Lease of Dwellings on County Property/Interim Relocation of Personnel to Blackwood H DEPARTMENT: Purchasing, Environment and PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Resource Conservation ATTACHMENT INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Proposed Process for Lease and Caretaker Pam Jones, 245-2852 Arrangements TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732.8181 Chapel Hill 9684501 Durham 688.7331 Mebane 336-2272031 PURPOSE: To authorize the County Manager to lease habitable dwellings on acquired County properly for temporary residential use, and to place stag members on an interim basis at the Blackwood house to address apace issues at the Planning and Agricultural Center. BACKGROUND: Through recent land acquishions for future park sites, Orange County has acquietl two habitable dwellings that are currently vacant. Another two homes have been acquired through the FEMA buyout of Hurricane FloydEamaged homes in the Heritage Hills subdivision. The potential exists fir additional dwellings to he purchased In future years as part of overall land acquisitions. Until such time as the parks are developed, the County has an interest in maintaining a physical presence at these properties until such time as the County begins or completes Park construction. In taking this action,me Board would authorize the County Manager missed such facilities under reasonable terms and conditions and to approve caretaker agreements in connection with these propeNes. All leases negotiated and/or caretaker agreements will be for terms of 12 months or less. The attachment includes a proposed process for caretaker application and selection. Related round is the space situation at the Planning and Agricultural Center. Aathe Boam may recall, plans have been underway since last fall to site a motlular unit donated by the 2 UNC School i f Public Health behind the Planning and Agricultural Center to address recent additions in staff to both Environmental Health and Environment and Resource Conservation. The modular unit, which would house some Environmental Health staff, has proven to Ire too expensive to be feasible at this time, leaving a soon-to-be-immediate shortage of available office space, with all of the positions now hired. To address this situation —and to maintain a physical presence at the Blackwood house— the Manager and staff propose to locate three staff members from ERCD to the Blackwood she,on an interim basis only. The benefits of this action would be tc 1)add a physical presence at the she(an active alarm system is in place and would be utilized after hours and on weekends, augmented by periodic weekend site checks by public safety and other staff): and 2)to allow staff that would be involved in the eventual design of fire park, and evaluation of the historic farm buildings,to be present at the site. The personnel to be located on an interim basis at the Blackwood house include the Open Space Design Specialist,the Preservation Planner It hours per week, a split position with PlanninglEROD), and the ERCD graduate intern. At Ue J.H. Cate House(Chapel HIII Township Park), additional HVAC work is needed prior to placement of a caretaker, and specifications for this work are being developed. Once the funding far those upgrades is idai and work completed, the attached process could be followed to place someone at the She. Discussions with Durham County are gentling regarding a third house—the potential relocation of one Heritage Hills house to LiHle River Park. To date,the concept of an actual site caretaker has been proposed. That issue will need to be addressed later by both the Orange County and Durham County Boards of Commissioners. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funds for basic utility service at the Blackwood house are in the current and FY 2002-03 budgets. At such time as a lease agreement Is developed with a caretaker, the agreement would specify the red to be paid, based on existing and reasonable market rates. Any rent set offs for caretaker Services (limited maintenance and upkeep of the property)would be addressed through a separate caretaker agreement—as iterated In the attached proposed process. It is anticipated that rent set-offs would fully fund the cost of compensation for caretaker services. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board 1. Author¢a the County Manager to lease the habitable dwellings on County-owned properties, for terms of 12 months or less based on existing and reasonable market rates, and 2. Provide for caretaker agreements in conjunction with these prapadies (as may be allowed under applicable law and policy),for terms of up to 12 months, and 3. Allow the placement of the above-identified existing ERCD staff at the Blackwood house . on an Interim basis, pending review by the Board of alternatives to the Space Needs Study,which would address the situation et the Planning and Agricultural Center. 3 Proposed Process Lease and Caretaker Arrangements for Dwellings at Future County Park Sites A) Blackwood Farmhouse 1. Basic electrical work and house inspections completed. Dwelling is habitable_Alarm system, electricity, water/septic and telephone service still active. 1 Place staff members from Environment and Resource Conservation Department(Open Space Design Specialist, Preservation Pmmer*, Intern*)in the house 8:00-5:00 Monday-Friday, on an interim basis,to relieve lack of office space: at Planning and Agricultural Center.Alarm system will be activated for nights and weekends.Public safety and other staff will also make periodic night/weekered checks. 3. Once a longterm solution addresses space problems, arrange for caretaker as provided in Item D below. 4. Caretaker moves into the Blackw(x)d house on montb-to-month less than 12 month lease, until and, time as park site is developed. * -part-time In d H Cate House (Chapel Hal Township P •k) 1. House inspection completed. Water(well), septic and electricity available. However,heating and cooling system is not adequate. 2. Develop specifications for heating and au combrjomng installation and other improvements. 3. Identify funds for heating end air conditioning system and construct systeu✓other improvements. 4. Arrange for emelaker as provided in Item D below. 5. Caretaker moves into Cate house on month-to-monthAess than 12 month lease until such time as park site is developed. 4 C) Little River Park (Heritaee Hill&House) 1. Managers and Board representatives discuss the potential relocation of this house from Heritage Hills to Little River Park to serve as caretaker resides 2. Orange County and Durham County Boards consider this option during deliberation of interlocal agreement for operation of park. D) Caretaker Process 1. To provide for upkeep and a physical presence on the property, the County may arrange for a caretaker w lease the dwelling at a reasonable market rate, and roceive a rent set off as compensation for any caretaker services. To accomplish this,the County would use the following process: - a. Obtain an estimate of the fair market rent for dwelling. b. Develop a list of caretaker duties and responsibilities, estimates time required for these and estimates compensation amount for caretaker services he be applied as rent set off). c. Develop draft lease and caretaker agreement. If this is an employment arrangement(see staffing notes below),provides in the caretaker agreement for a reasonable ngreement as to work time and compensation under applicable wage hour requirements. d. Advertise the temporary caretaker opportunity and receives applications. e. Interview the better qualified applicants. C Complete appropriate reference checks. Selects the best qualified applicant. 2. County and caretaker sign lease (reasonable market rate, month-tu- nnth or less than 12 months)and separate caretaker agreement (specifying duties, compensation,work time and nun-work time). 5 Staffing Notes: 1. Temeacraw Emplovee Independent Co t t A caretaker may be a temporary employee or an independent contractor depending on the specific candidate and whether he or she would quality as an independent contractor under applicable law. The caretaker agreement will he tailored on the sporadic oraingement, depending on whether the caretaker is an employee or independent contractor. 2. Currant C t Employees As Caretakers Orange County employees making application are subject to provisions of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act that may impact their eligibility for employment as a caretaker. Also an existing Orange County employee may not be dually employed as an independent contractor. prior to advertising for the caretaker opportunity, staff will review the issues rind determine specifically under what terms an employee may be eligible to serve as caretaker.