COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

County Manager's Office

DATE:

May 17, 2004

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 8, 2004

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Steve Alms, Manager, Real Property Services

SUBJECT:

Lease Agreement with DLC FOSTER CITY, a California Limited Partnership and TRITON ASSOCIATES, a California Limited Liability Company as Tenants In Common for warehouse space at 1164 - 1166 Triton Drive, Foster City for temporary storage of records of the Elections Division (Lease No. 1266)

Recommendation

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board of Supervisors to execute a lease with DLC FOSTER CITY, a California Limited Partnership and TRITON ASSOCIATES, a California Limited Liability Company as Tenants In Common for warehouse space at 1164 - 1166 Triton Drive, Foster City for temporary storage of records of the Elections Division.

Background

The Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer shares the warehouse area of the Elections Warehouse at 40 Tower Road with the record storage functions of the Information Services Division and the Human Services Agency. In recent years, the State has established expanded and more stringent rules on the handling of ballots and elections. To eliminate the inefficiencies inherent with Election's use of space on two levels of the building, Elections and HSA have agreed to exchange warehouse spaces. When Public Works completes improvements to the building to facilitate the new configuration, the Election offices and warehouse will be consolidated on a single floor. In order to facilitate the necessary modifications to the building, it is necessary to temporarily relocate records of the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Elections from approximately 8,000 square. feet of the existing warehouse.

Discussion

Public Works commenced work at the Elections Warehouse in the first week of May 2004. Elections anticipates that all work will be complete by July 31, 2004. So that the work can be completed prior to the election season, Real Property Services negotiated a lease for temporary storage commencing May 1, 2004 and terminating August 31, 2004, with the further provision that the County can terminate the lease at any time by giving the landlord thirty days written notice. The lease of 1164-1166 Triton Drive provides the County with 7,980 square feet of warehouse area at a monthly rent of $5,700. If necessary, the County may use an additional 3,000 square feet of storage without an increase in the monthly rental. The landlord will pay the cost of all utilities and services to the premises, provided that the monthly cost does not exceed $500, a generous allowance based on the operating expense history of the building.

The Chief Elections Officer concurs in this recommendation. County Counsel has reviewed and approved the agreement as to form.

Vision Alignment

The proposed lease agreement keeps the commitment of responsive, effective and collaborative government and goal number 20: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than immediate gain. The lease contributes to this commitment and goal by providing a temporary storage solution that will facilitate an increase in efficiency at the Elections Warehouse for both Elections and HSA.

Fiscal Impact

Elections has funds in the 2003/2004 budget for the rent and associated moving costs.