BOE, E.O. Foundation Still Negotiating New Lease

The Stephens County Board of Education continues to negotiate a new lease agreement with Evan Oglesby and his foundation for the old Toccoa High School gym.

The two sides talked about a new lease again Thursday at the Stephens County Board of Education’s work session.

Oglesby, a Toccoa native and former NFL player, currently leases the old gym on Pond Street and uses it for his E.O. Foundation Center.

He currently has a lease for $1 a year with the Stephens County school system for the next six months, but says he wants a long-term lease in order to help in his effort to apply for grants in order to make further upgrades to the facility and protect his investment in the facility through the upgrades he has already made.

In December, the school board agreed to a 30-year lease through 2046.

However, the financial terms of the lease remain under discussion.

Oglesby said that he cannot afford a lease agreement along the lines of $1,000 per month, which has been suggested, because his current net income is under $1,000 a year through the Foundation.

He noted that while he has only paid the school board $1 a year, he has made more than $250,000 in improvements to the building since moving in.

“We have changed light fixtures, take out everything in the building,” said Oglesby. “We have taken out toilets, windows, doors, hot water heaters, paint, building supplies, bathroom stalls, lockers, shower stalls, security system, surveillance cameras,” said Oglesby. “We have repaired the roof.”

Other improvements included ventilation fans, a new gym floor, and bathroom floors.

Board of Education Chair Tony Crunkleton said he understands that while the Board is not getting a lot in the lease agreement, they have received a lot of work on a building that they still own.

Crunkleton pointed to Mountain Education’s $20,000 lease agreement and noted differences.

“Mountain Ed pays us $20,000, but we have to provide everything,” said Crunkleton. “We have to pay the utilities. If anything tears up, we are responsible for fixing it. This (Oglesby’s) is a different type of lease. He does not pay anything, but it does not cost us anything. He fixes everything.”

Board of Education member Jeff Webb said after seeing Oglesby’s net income, he is content with charging a nominal lease fee for the time being and then renegotiating if his net income went up over time.

Meanwhile, Board member David Fricks said he has concerns over locking in a lease fee, regardless of amount, for the next 30 years and tying in future boards.

The Board of Education did not make a decision on the matter at Thursday’s work session.