McComb officials discussed the Pike School of Art’s potential lease of the old city jail at Tuesday’s work session.
PSA is seeking a Building Fund for the Arts grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission. PSA representatives have previously said either purchasing the building or extending the lease to longer terms would help secure the funding, and proposed a $1-per-year lease for 50 years.
The organization is in the middle of a 10-year lease at $1 per year.
City Administrator David Myers said all building improvements made to the city-owned property would belong to the city.
PSA secretary and treasurer Jacquelyn Bryant asked what it would take to terminate the lease.
“It had to be for set cause. It had to be for something specific that’s written within the lease,” she said. “It’s not just, well, we don’t really like you guys anymore.”
Responding to a query from Selectman Tommy McKenzie, Bryant said it would take a year to make the improvements.
“We want to be realistic, yes, but we also want to stop wasting a lot of time and I think the sooner that we get this signed and in place, then you will see the real results,” she said.
McKenzie said not making the improvements as promised would be a reason to terminate the lease, and Bryant agreed.
Selectwoman Terri Waterman-Baylor questioned the length of the lease.
“Why are the leases so long, like 50 years and then 100, and for $1?” she said.
Myers said there have been several leases that went 50 to 100 years.
“Understand that there are attorneys that agree with 99-, 100-year lease,” said Mayor Quordiniah Lockley. “There are attorneys who do not agree with that simply because no decision was made by this board. The next board is bound by it. They could come in and want to change.”
