Lehighton to renegotiate lease agreement for office of state representative

Lehighton plans to renegotiate a lease with a state representative who has had an office inside the borough annex building for nearly eight years.

On a 4-1 vote, borough council agreed on Monday to continue to renegotiate the lease with state Rep. Doyle Heffley and offer $13.50 per square foot for a month-to-month lease until a long-term agreement can be reached.

Voting in favor were council members Ryan Saunders, Jared McEvoy, Lisa Perry and council President Grant Hunsicker. Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky was opposed. Councilmen Joe Flickinger and Darryl Arner were absent.

Heffley’s lease agreement is set to expire Nov. 30. Heffley has had an office inside the borough annex building at 110 N. Third St. since January 2011.

Recreation director Tom Evans said Heffley’s current rate is $11.30 per square foot. An initial proposal of $15 per square foot had been proposed.

Pathstone, which also leases space in the annex, has a variety of rates due to the terms/age of the lease, with the average rate being $16 per square foot, and have leased some rooms with the borough for longer terms than others.

Evans said he believes the rates should be the same for everyone.

Saunders said he agreed with Evans.

“I think that it should be the same across the board,” Saunders said.

Abelovsky said she agreed that prices should be the same across the board, but that she would hate to see him leave because his office is such an asset to so many people.

“I know a lot of our senior citizens use that office,” Abelovsky said.

Perry said it’s not right to charge one more than the other.

Council’s vote came after an initial motion to not approve a two-year lease at the price proposed.

That motion was a 3-2 vote, with Hunsicker and Abelovsky opposed.