Stephens Co. BOE Denies E.O. Foundation’s Request for Lease Extension

The E.O. Foundation is denied a request.

At Wednesday’s Stephens County Board of Education meeting Evan Oglesby of the E.O. Foundation made a request for a lease extension.

“We want to reiterate that the EO Foundation has been serving the community since 2011. We were in a 5-year agreement, but wasn’t able to reach an agreement past that. We are asking for a year lease to go to the drawing board and figure out our next move,” said Oglesby. “I can’t close the gym down for the kids this year. So we are asking for a 1-year lease to continue using the facility.”

Back in March, the Stephens County Board of Education responded to concerns raised after the E.O. Foundation announced it was closing its center in Toccoa later this year.

In a Facebook post released that week, Toccoa native and former NFL player Evan Oglesby announced he would be closing his E.O. Foundation Center in Toccoa in June.

In the post, Oglesby pointed the finger at the school board, citing a lack of support from the board.

Oglesby has rented the old Toccoa High School gym from the Stephens County school system since the beginning of 2012.

Board of Education Chair Rod Moore responded to Oglesby’s post and corresponding questions and criticisms on social media and elsewhere.

Reading a statement, Moore first outlined the negotiations between the Board of Education and Oglesby regarding a renewal of that original five-year lease, which expired in December 2016.

According to Moore, the E.O. Foundation was offered a new, identical five-year lease for the property in June 2015.

However, Moore said a request was made for a longer lease term by the E.O. Foundation due to concerns of receiving potential grants.

Then in July 2015, the Board of Education approved a revised lease term for the E.O. Foundation to use the facility of 30 years with a fee of $1 a year, which was the same as the original lease, and a longer termination clause of 90 days, instead of the original 60 days.

However, Oglesby came back to the Board in January 2016 and requested a lease that would require the consent of both parties to terminate it. Then in April 2016, Oglesby and supporters again appeared before the school board and Oglesby again asked for a termination clause that could only be enacted by the agreement of both parties, while also suggesting he could buy the facility.

As for selling the property to Oglesby, the school board said state law stated that in most cases, selling the property would require a public bid process or auction, with School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey adding the school system attorney called that the “most appropriate” method.

Back in March, Moore said that the Board of Education is committed to helping where it can, but must abide by legal requirements set forth in state law stating that the Board offered a 30-year lease that was not accepted, and it was important for the public to know that the Board had followed due diligence and now must move forward.

As for the most recent request by the EO Foundation on Wednesday, the Board’s decision was to allow the lease only until June of this year.