|
Picente
To Meet with Abstract Companies To Discuss Fees Required to Rent Space
Oneida
County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. today said that he will meet soon
with local abstract companies to begin the process of resuming rent payments
by the companies for space they occupy in the
County
Office
Building
.
“As
an independently elected public official, the
County
Clerk
has wide latitude to govern the operations of her department, however,
offering public space for the use of private, for-profit companies without
any type of a fee creates issues that transcend the operational issues of
the Clerk’s department,” Picente said. “I have long made my position
clear on this issue: Any private interest that rents space in county-owned
buildings needs to be charged for renting the space. If the Office of the
County
Clerk
is not in need of the revenue generated from this space, we will use it to
offset other costs.”
Picente
said that he expects the companies involved to be cooperative. “I plan to explain
my position to the abstract companies and I fully expect that we can arrive
at an appropriate resolution. I understand that a business person is not
likely to turn down an offer of rent-free space, but when we consider the
best interests of the taxpayers, I believe that such an arrangement is not
acceptable and cannot continue.”
|
