Agenda - 03-20-2001-6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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7 The funds available would address only the most critical exterior repair needs. Total building repairs needed on the exterior and interior,. based on continuing present uses, would cost about $1,130,000 for construction (not including engineering, construction management and interest costs). - DISCUSSION OF KEY ISSUES We believe that the Old Post Office building and site is a valuable asset that should be preserved and enhanced as a community gathering place and as a useful community facility. Postal Service: The Post Office in the building serves many citizens and businesses with postal boxes and other retail postal services. It is a successful business site for the Postal Service. 'We believe that having a post office in the .downtown will continue to be a valuable service for the community in the future. . The present lease of space to the Postal Service will expire on August 14, 2004 (please see the attached lease). Chapel Hill Postmaster Robin Lockhart has stated that the Postal Service is interested in obtaining another long-term lease. The present lease requires the Town to provide utilities, maintenance and custodial services at no cost to the Postal Service. No lease payment is required. We believe that a lease more favorable to the Town and still acceptable to the Postal Service could be agreed upon, and that an initial term of at least l0 years would be in the Town's best interests,. We recommend that the Council direct the Manager to negotiate along-term lease far consideration by the Council. District Court: Chief District Court Judge Joseph Moody Buckner reports that the court room and other facilities provided at the Old Post Office building continue to be of value to the Courts. (Please see the attached letter.) Cases regulazly scheduled in Chapel Hill include traffic offenses, minor crimes, small claims, domestic disputes, and civil arbitrations. We believe that having court operations in Chapel Hill is convenient for Chapel Hill citizens and far all those who have business with the courts, including our police officers and local attorneys. - We understand that according tv North Cazolina General Statutes, counties have primary responsibility for providing courtrooms and related judicial facilities. A municipality may provide court facilities with the approval of the Administrative Office of the Courts, after consultation with county officials. Where a municipality provides facilities, a part of the cost of court is remitted to the municipality. Consistent with state law, the Town receives ,court fees each year, in recognition of the Town's provision of court facilities. Revenues from this source were about $32,000 in the last fiscal year. We note however, that fees received clearly aze not sufficient to pay the fair shaze of costs for utilities, custodial service and capital maintenance of the property. There is no lease agreement for the court facilities, nor is there any agreed-upon long-term plan for the use of the facilities. We believe that both a lease and along-term use plan would be of