County Commission, Elections Supervisor Continue To Grapple Over Office Needs

    The ongoing saga of attempting to secure additional space for the office of the Lake County Supervisor of Elections was again a topic of discussion on Tuesday, when the Lake County Commission waded into the topic once again in hopes of finding a resolution to an issue that has been unsettled for over a year and has continued to grow in expense. As in past discussions, extended and at times contentious, discussion failed to fully settle the issue.
   Lake County Supervisor of Elections D. Alan Hays has been lobbying the county for expanded facilities, citing continued growth in the number of registered voters in the county and the need to maintain the equipment required to oversee elections in the growing county. Hays’ has sought approval of his plan to build an estimated $25 million facility on county property south of Tavares, but the commission has balked at that option, citing the cost and other needs in the county.
   Instead, a variety of options have been considered, approved, and reconsidered. A lease of the former Sears store at the Lake Square Mall was signed, but plans there were scuttled after asbestos was found in the building.
   On Tuesday, county staff provided the latest update, with the following information:
   - Efforts to cancel the Sears lease have so far been unfruitful, with the property owner seeking an estimated $1.8 million payout. Should the county fulfill the five-year lease, its cost would be just over $2.5 million. So far, the county has spent an estimated $988,000 on design, asbestos abatement, rent, and more at the location.
   - Staff has negotiated a $4 million purchase of the supervisor's current office building, which includes a bank branch that in time would be converted to support the office's space needs.
   - Staff has negotiated a lease of just under 5,000 square feet at the Eustis Shopping Plaza, at a cost of $71,430 per year for five years.
   - Staff has been working to terminate contracts for design services associated with constructing a 50,000-square-foot building on county property south of Tavares on Lake Park Road, which to date has cost around $132,000.
   - Consider a plan forwarded by Hays to build two, 20,000 square foot buildings on the county property south of Tavares.
   Hays’ frustration with the process was evident on Tuesday.
   “All we have is a colossal failure. I’m through being nice.”
   The supervisor described what he sees as a ‘huge waste of money’ spent in the process so far, with little to show. “I have tried to go along and be cooperative.”
   But on Tuesday, he pushed for more control of the process, asking, and receiving, approval to develop the ‘two metal building’ plan. Rather, he was allowed to develop plans to build the two buildings, but also bring back to the commission the expected costs to build one building at the Lane Park Road site, and use his current office for storage.
   Hays said he believes he can bring the two-building plan to fruition for around $14 million. However, that plan doesn't fully contemplate road, site, and some utility costs associated with making the site ready for use.
   “I’ve got a proven record of fiscal responsibility,” Hays said, voicing confidence he can return to the commission with an acceptable plan.
   As for the other topics associated with the ongoing saga, the commission made the following moves:
   - Decided to remain in the lease at the Sears building, citing the expected ability to use the space for a variety of county purposes.
   - Moved to cancel the contract for the purchase of Hays’ current office.
   - Continue to negotiate to lease storage space in the Eustis Plaza.
   - Terminate contracts and rebid for design services for the proposed metal buildings.