Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: Use of space at the Merritt Island Service Complex for Brevard County Tax Collector’s Office, Brevard Family Partnership and Brevard Cultural Alliance (Super Majority Vote Required)
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Fiscal Impact:
FY 20-21: Nominal Lease - $1 per year for each.
Dept/Office:
Housing and Human Services
Tourism Development Office
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners approve and authorize:
(1) The use of approximately 2690 square feet on the second floor of the Merritt Island Service Complex to the Brevard County Tax Collector for office space,
(2) the lease of approximately 3,455 square feet on the second floor of the Merritt Island Service Complex to Community Based Care of Brevard, Inc. d/b/a Brevard Family Partnership in support of a Behavioral Healthcare Expansion Grant,
(3) the Chair to execute Amendment #8 to the Lease Agreement with the Brevard Cultural Alliance, expiring on September 30, 2023,
(4) the County Manager to sign the Brevard Family Partnership lease upon approval of the County Attorney and Risk Management,
(5) the County Manager to sign any amendments or modifications to the leases upon approval of the County Attorney and Risk Management,
(6) the use of the fair market value of the space for Brevard Family Partnership (approximately $42,289.20 per year) as match for the Behavioral Healthcare Expansion Grant, and
(7) the County Manager to execute any necessary Budget Change Requests.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
The Board of County Commissioners directed staff to research the feasibility of the Tourism Development Office (TDO) relocating to the Merritt Island Service Complex (2575 North Courtenay Parkway) during their September 15, 2020 regular meeting and provided for a short-term extension of the Lease Agreement with the Brevard Cultural Alliance. Concurrently, the Brevard County Tax Collector and Community Based Care of Brevard, Inc. d/b/a Brevard Family Partnership (BFP) have requested portions of the available space at the Complex. Moving the Tax Collector to the Service Complex would save the Charter Office approximately $120,000 per year in rental costs and providing space to BFP will allow an additional $42,289.20 per year in services to children and their families. If these requests are approved, there is not enough remaining space (even if the Brevard Cultural Alliance vacated their current location) to meet the operational needs of the TDO.
If these requests are not approved, the cost to renovate the Service Complex to meet TDO needs is between $120,000 to $150,000 (includes moving costs) per Facilities. Also, the TDO has identified several additional concerns regarding the Service Complex, specifically that the location is not near a tourism corridor and the cost to break the current lease (up to $16,666 depending upon timing). Furthermore, there would be continued costs related to rental space at another location for the Tax Collector and a reduction in the provision of services to children and their families.
Brevard Cultural Alliance
The Brevard Cultural Alliance (BCA) has leased space at the Viera Government Center since 2010, in early 2020, the BCA moved to leased space at the Merritt Island Service Complex. This request extends the current lease agreement from December 31, 2020 through September 30, 2023 and requires that BCA continue to provide oversight for Art in Public Places, technical and advisory services on arts and cultural resources in Brevard County; and serve as a clearinghouse for arts and cultural resources to improve quality of life in Brevard County.
Community Based Care of Brevard, Inc. d/b/a Brevard Family Partnership
On March 12, 2019, the Board of County Commissioners approved the submission of a grant to the Center for Mental Health Services - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the Expansion and Sustainability of Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances. The grant was awarded on August 31, 2020.
The grant will seek to improve mental health outcomes for the target population (children and youth age 5 to 18) with Serious Emotional Disturbances and their families, support the wide scale operation, expansion and integration of the System of Care approach by creating sustainable infrastructure and services that are required as part of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and their Families Program (also known as the Children’s Mental Health Initiative), support the provision of mental health and related recovery support services to children and youth with serious emotional disturbances - and those with early signs and symptoms of serious mental illness, including first episode psychosis - and their families, and implement systemic changes in policy, financing, evidence based and evidence informed services and supports, training and workforce development, and cross system collaboration.
The Brevard County Housing and Human Services Department will provide oversight and monitoring of grant performance and act as the liaison with the Federal Government. Community Based Care of Brevard, Inc. d/b/a Brevard Family Partnership (BFP) will provide grant specific services and sub-contract with various entities throughout the County. The space at the Merritt Island Service Complex will be used for BFP staff, community meetings, and to provide services directly to the children and families served under this grant. This is a 4-year grant and the lease agreement will be for an initial 10 months with 4, 1-year renewals, in order to match the timeline of the grant (including the potential for a no-cost extension at the end of the grant period). BFP will be responsible for all minor repairs (nothing to the shell or major systems), upgrades, and/or improvements (with County approval).
Per Facilities, the fair market rent for the BFP area is approximately $12 per square foot and the common area maintenance (CAM) charges are approximately 2%. This equates to a fair market value of approximately $12.24 per square foot or approximately $42,289.20 for 3,455 square feet per year (see attached and highlighted floor plan). BFP would normally have had to use grant funds to obtain office space, which would have decreased the amount of funds available to provide services (direct or in support of) to children with Serious Emotional Disturbances and their families under the grant. This action will allow for the redirection of approximately $42,289.20 of grant funds per year back to the children.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
None