E.O. Foundation, BOE Still Discussing Lease

There has not been any decisions yet on negotiations between the E.O. Foundation and the Stephens County Board of Education on moving forward with a new lease agreement between the two sides.

That is according to Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey.

“We are still looking at what the options would be for the board and making contact with Mr. Oglesby and seeing if there would be any interest and we would go from there,” said Dorsey.

Oglesby, a Toccoa native and former NFL player, currently leases the old Toccoa High School gym on Pond Street and uses it for his E.O. Foundation Center.

His current, original lease for the gym and property runs through December 31 of this year.

Last July, the Stephens County Board of Education approved a 30-year lease agreement for the old Toccoa High School gym on Pond Street and surrounding fields, including Boyd Field at the cost of $1 per year.

However, Oglesby and his foundation never signed the lease.

In January, Oglesby presented proposed changes to the lease approved by the school board.

The one that sparked discussion between the board and Oglesby was a proposal to change the termination clause in the lease to require the consent of both parties before the lease is terminated, instead of a simple 90-day notice to terminate the lease that is in what the Board approved.

Oglesby said he needs that in the lease to protect the money he has already put into improving the property and also guarantee stability, noting that right now, he could be told to leave the property with a 90-day notice and no recourse.

However, multiple Board of Education members expressed concern over Oglesby’s proposal.

The Board of Education took no action on Oglesby’s proposed changes to the leases in January and the matter has not been on a meeting agenda since.