Stephens BOE Approve EO Foundation Lease Agreement

The Stephens County Board of Education approves a lease agreement for Evan Oglesby to continue using the old Toccoa High School gym for his programs.

Tuesday, the Board voted to approve the lease for a term of 30 years at a cost of $1 per year.

The financial and other terms of the lease agreement are the same as the original lease agreement between the two sides that was first discussed in 2011.

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 said 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.

The two sides had spent months negotiating how much to charge Oglesby for the facility.

At last week’s school board work session, Stephens County Board of Education Chair Tony Crunkleton said after looking at it, he supports keeping the amount at $1 per year.

“He is obviously taking much of the risk because of the termination clause,” said Crunkleton, who also noted that Oglesby has put a lot of money into improving the building.

However, Board member Jim Ledford, speaking Tuesday, said he cannot support the $1 per year figure.

“We have cut teachers, closed a school, and raised taxes,” said Ledford. “There is $380,000 worth of property involved for 30 years at $1 a year. I have a problem with that.”

Meanwhile, board member David Fricks said he wants it understood that the financial terms could be re-visited later.

“As long as he understands that … we can and will, if we need to, re-negotiate under that termination clause,” said Fricks.

However, board member Jim Bellamy noted that the termination clause does not guarantee re-negotiation.

“It says nothing about negotiation,” said Bellamy of that termination clause.

Oglesby asked for language guaranteeing opportunity for re-negotiation under the termination clause.

However, the board approved the lease agreement 5 to 1 with no changes from what was presented.

Jim Ledford voted against it and board member Rod Moore was not in attendance. Moore had expressed support for the $1 a year figure at Thursday’s work session.

Oglesby must now also sign the lease for it to take effect.