The Harlem City Council discussed several items during the Thursday, March 23 work session that will be voted on during their upcoming regular meeting.
One of the items was a lease with the Harlem Arts Council for use of the Harlem Civic Center. Council members first discussed the issue at the quarterly meeting last month, and City Manager Debra Moore told council members that after that meeting, a lease agreement was drafted.
“This lease would be on terms of 30 days. It would not be a long-term lease because we aren’t allowed to go into long-term leases,” Moore said. “What I have in here is we would look for the lease paid ($500 on) the 1st of the month…and that would be to lease the total building. Whoever leased the building, this would come from them. I know there have been some issues pertaining to the back room which was supposed to be leased through the city and that wasn’t always happening. So that back room actually becomes part of the leased piece of the property….”
Harlem Mayor Roxanne Whitaker asked to clarify that the city would be responsible for outside and inside maintenance, but the tenant would be responsible for any upgrades. Moore said that was correct, and the city would be responsible for utilities such as electric, gas, water and sewer. But other utilities, such as internet and phones would be the responsibility of the tenant.
Whitaker only had one request for the lease and that was that it include something about allowing the church that uses the back room to remain there.
“There is a church that is primarily elderly people, about 12 elderly people that lease the back room every Sunday or just about every Sunday,” Whitaker said. “I would like to see them protected in this lease where they will still get to use the back room at the same rate that they’re doing now if we could add that to it.”
Keith Wallace, the treasurer of the Harlem Arts Council, was at the meeting and spoke to council members about some concerns they had with the drafted lease agreement. One had to do with the section regarding repairs and who would be responsible.
“Article 5 concerns me where it talks about repairs and says due to the terms of agreement, tenant shall make, at tenant’s expense, all necessary repairs to the civic center, such items such as routine repairs to the floors, walls, ceiling and other parts of the civic center,” Wallace said. “ … we were lead to believe by your email that the city would be responsible for repairs and maintenance of the grounds and the building inside and out. We have made, I think, more than one request to have paint…and ceiling stains and water damaged stains fixed.”
Moore stated that section has to do with the building, not damages caused by the Harlem Arts Council, such as paint getting on the floor following an art class.
“The way number 5 is worded does concern me,” Wallace said. “I understand the intent, but right now it says we are supposed to paint the walls and whatever else through normal wear and tear and right now there is wear and tear. So, we would be inheriting that and have the responsibility and liability for it. I don’t know if it needs a face lift force, I guess I’ll ask if you could review that.”
Council member John Thigpen said that because the city deals with tax payer money, they have to be careful with how the money is used.
“We can’t just spend tax payer funds willy nilly out in the city, we have to be responsible with it, and there’s certain things we can and can’t do,” Thigpen said. “That being said, if the building needs fixing, I’m not opposed to the city fixing because it’s our building, but if you go in there and you’re throwing paint around, irresponsible damage that would be something we would have to talk about.”
Another item being considered on Monday is a resolution to practice and promote civility.
“This is just something that, I went to a class on this…I learned a lot that we need to appreciate each other’s opinions and we need to treat each other with respect.,” Whitaker said. “There are areas around us that don’t have this character and I want to make sure that even though we may disagree, we still respect what each other think and are going to treat you with respect.”
Commissioners briefly discussed the government efficiency and functionality study that Columbia County is conducting. Whitaker told council members the consolidation would include Leah, Winfield, Appling, Sawdust and Campania, which are near Harlem.
“I will say that the first meeting was a lot of opinions of positiveness,” Whitaker said. “Since then I’ve had time to sit down and write concerns and all. We have been told that the chairman would like for both mayors to sit on this study committee. I think that’s not a bad idea, but I also want this study committee to get out and interview people that this is going to affect. I’ve had a lot of questions asked of me. I don’t know the answer to anything other than what I just said.”
Thigpen said he doesn’t believe the city residents really have a say in the study and that it won’t affect city residents.
“It could affect the LOST (local option sales tax), which is my biggest concern because that is where a good bit of our money could come from,” Whitaker said. “But I also have concerns about those who live outside of our city.”
The government efficiency and functionality study was a discussion item only.
The Harlem City Council will meet for its regular meeting on Monday, March 27 at 7 p.m. in the Harlem Public Safety Building located at 110 W. Milledgeville Road. The agenda can be viewed at harlemga.org.
