News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Members of the Public Building Authority and Cookeville City Council will explore restructuring the lease agreement for the Leslie Town Centre.
That after a Monday work session on the issue. The Cookeville City Council agreed in principle to cover the full $26,850 for an HVAC system replacement with a plan to credit the city for future rentals. Chamber of Commerce CEO Amy New suggested this instead of splitting the cost 50/50 and the PBA paying back the city.
“Then maybe going ahead to pay for the 100 percent and use that $13,500 credit towards those events just to try and help with the cash flow,” New said.
New said that she’s happy to work out a new agreement with the city, but is cautious about losing out on rentals. She said that the new agreement could either help or hurt them.
“Because Father-Daughter Date Night is when? February,” New said. “So it’s now, or get it in February. Because you’re going to pay for it in February for the event to be there, or we’re going to get it now.”
City Manager James Mills said that while exploring the lease agreement, he will reach out to the county to see if it would consider contributing. Putnam County owns 35 percent of the building. He said the city owns the other 65 percent.
Mills said they would also explore the potential to use ARP funds to help cover the cost of HVAC repair and future roof replacement.
New said that the Public Building Authority cannot afford any major repair costs, such as a roof replacement, because of the effects of the pandemic. She said that they put in requests for HVAC coverage and roof repair coverage with the idea of using ARP funding.
City Council will officially vote on funding the HVAC replacement at its meeting Thursday night.
