FARMINGTON — A county commissioner said Wednesday it was not the intent of the Franklin County Commission to circumvent a verbal agreement with the owners of Church Street Commons.

Commissioner Gary McGrane of Jay was one of two commissioners to vote Tuesday in favor of paying an additional $10,000 for lost rent to owners of the property, Stephen Braconi and Joe Carlson of Massachusetts. The men had agreed to hold the building pending the outcome of a Nov. 2 bond question that included buying the Commons. Voters rejected it.

Commissioners agreed during a meeting last May to have the county attorney draw up an agreement on an option for $39,700 to be paid in two installments to hold the building. The first portion would be paid after a satisfactory title search, an environmental assessment and Planning Board approval; the second would be due after the Nov. 2 referendum, according to discussion at the time.

That wording never made it into the written document, but McGrane said commissioners did not intentionally circumvent the verbal agreement.

“It was both sides’ understanding that the lost rent would be paid,” McGrane said Wednesday. “I feel we did not meet our obligation to reimburse the owners for all lost rental revenue prior to Nov. 2.”

He said, “I looked at the obligation as an unpaid liability. We may have prevailed in a court challenge because of contractual language, but it was not the right thing to do.”

Commissioner Clyde Barker of Strong, who took office Jan. 1 was also in favor Tuesday of paying the money. Commission Chairman Fred Hardy of New Sharon was opposed. He said he voted against payment because it was not part of the negotiated agreement.

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