FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to have Chairman Fred Hardy negotiate with two property owners for office space to lease in Farmington.

Commissioners had received six proposals offering space for the Franklin County District Attorney Office. It is currently located in the basement of the courthouse but needs to be moved due to environmental and other concerns.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson presented commissioners with a spreadsheet of the properties listed in order of preference. Parking, security and location were among factors the attorneys and staff considered.

The first choice was Church Street Commons, 107-109 Church St., next to Superior Court and near 12th District Court. Robinson said the cost was higher than some of the others but the location and security were good. It would also be built to their specifications.

The yearly rent is listed at $17,250 for 1,500 square feet. Additional annual costs are $1,275 for heating and $615 for maintenance. There is on-street parking and the county’s Anson Street lot available for parking. The lease would be for a minimum of five years with four five-year options.

Robinson said the owners, Braconi and Carlson of Massachusetts, were also willing to waive the annual 4 percent increase they would normally charge. The five-year cost is listed at $95,700, including utilities and maintenance.

Their second choice was Craig Jordan’s property at 124 Main St., it is also close to the courts. It is 2,648 square feet and listed as $26,480 per year for rent, which is negotiable, Robinson said. Electricity and liability would be paid by the tenant. It has six parking spaces.

The space is good, Robinson said, but they don’t need that much. They would need only a portion of it, he said.

There are concerns about security, especially with the confidential documents they are responsible for, Robinson said. There is a residence above the office space and there are concerns of hearing household sounds,  including television noise while staff conducts victims or others, he said.

Neither of those concerns exist with the Church Street Commons, he said. However, Robinson said if the security and sound concerns could be addressed then it could work. They would be interested in the back section of the space offered, he said.

Parking was so tight it was a concern at office spaces at 191 Main St., adjacent to Dunkin’ Donuts and 186 Main St., across the street from it. There were only two guaranteed parking spaces at each location and it was farther away from the courts. The space was good but each had its drawbacks, he said. They sometimes walk to court with three more more cases of files, he said.

The Joyce, David and Hanstein PA office space at 107 Main St. was good but the deal would be lease to own where the county would own the building after 20 years, Robinson said. The cost would $33,642 for rent each year plus additional costs of utilities and property, fire and liability insurance. The cost over 20 years is listed at $786,800. There are 12 parking spaces, with the possibility of more.

The Cousineau Inc. property at 374 High St. would be too far from the court for the office, Robinson said. It had 60 parking spaces and was listed at $18,000 a year for rent. The five year cost was $90,000 plus common area maintenance that would be negotiated.

Robinson said Cousineau had bent over backward to accommodate the county and district attorney staff but the location is the issue.

There is $22,290 in the county budget for office space, utilities and other costs.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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