Explanation
Background: The City of Columbus owns multiple tracts of agricultural land in Delaware County that are being held for the future growth of the City’s upground reservoir operations. Until such time as this land is needed for that purpose, it has been leased to various Tenants for the purpose of farming.
The Department of Finance and Management, through its Real Estate Management Office (REMO) leases the land for farming on behalf of the Department of Public Utilities. Tenant Mr. Richard Packer (K5E9, LLC), who leases 89 tillable acres for farming, decided not to renew his lease for the 2016 term. This particular farm acreage is difficult to access, being nearly landlocked, making an existing City tenant farming adjacent fields the most logical tenant for the acreage now available. This acreage was offered to two existing tenants farming adjacent parcels, one tenant declined, the other, Mr. Timothy Barnes, has agreed to assume the additional acreage as part of his farming operation for the term January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016 thus necessitating an amendment to the existing Amended And Restated Farm Lease Agreement with the City to reflect the added tillable acres and the associated rent.
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to execute a Second Amendment To The Amended And Restated Farm Lease Agreement with Mr. Timothy Barnes to add the 89 tillable acres formerly farmed by K5E9, LLC to the lease, effective January 1, 2016 and to reflect the associated rent for this additional acreage. The new total tillable acreage leased by Mr. Barnes will be 470 acres.
Emergency action is requested to assure that the Lease Amendment can be executed expeditiously to allow Mr. Barnes to begin work in the field as soon as possible.
Title
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management to enter into a Second Amendment to an Amended and Restated Farm Lease Agreement with Mr. Timothy A. Barnes to add ...
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