Airport museum lease back on county table
From our weekly issue dated January 13, 2010
A group advocating a smokejumper museum at the Illinois Valley Airport on Hwy. 199 between Cave Junction and O“Brien has submitted a draft lease agreement to Josephine County.
But county officials expressed concerns about the document regarding the former Siskiyou Smokejumper Base during a Thursday, Jan. 7 meeting between the board of county commissioners and its legal staff at the courthouse in Grants Pass.
Legal Counsel Steve Rich said that the county and the museum group went back and forth with a previous draft lease for approximately two years. County officials completed a lease and sent it to the group, which never responded, Rich stated. As such, he added, the county abandoned its efforts to bring an agreement to fruition.
Rich said that the new proposed lease has conditions that “aren“t acceptable“ to the county, and never were.
“It would be easier to pay them to use the site for free,“ he said.
However, county board Chairman Dwight Ellis said that he would like to work with the group and settle the matter once and for all.
“I don“t think we“re all that far apart,“ Ellis said.
Alex Grossi, county airports manager, stated that federal regulations require that every tenant of the facility receive equal treatment. He said that would be jeopardized by the county approving the draft lease in its current form.
Grossi also echoed Rich“s thoughts on what the proposed lease would mean for the county financially.
“At this point, it would cost us money,“ he said. “This goes beyond zero rent.“
County Commissioner Sandi Cassanelli, who serves as airport liaison, defended the museum advocates and their efforts. She said that the group wants to restore some of the buildings at the facility, which would only help Cave Junction and the airport.
Ellis reiterated that he wants to make one last attempt to complete the lease agreement with the smokejumper group.
“They have good intentions, I think,“ Ellis said.
A follow-up discussion on the draft lease tentatively has been set for the county commission“s administrative meeting on Friday, Jan. 22, 9 a.m. at the courthouse in Grants Pass.
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