Rumor has it…

LISA HOBBS - News Editor

The Warren County Way has heard something that may take county commissioners by surprise, if it turns out to be true.

During a recent County Building and Ground Committee meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a counteroffer of $1.12 cents per square foot, plus trash and fees, for a new lease agreement on J’s Restauant in Three Star Mall. That would make its monthly rent payment $2,596, down from $3,441.  

That proposal came after the restaurant’s attorney proposed 50 cents a square foot without any additional fees, which would lower the rent to $1,050 per month.

During that meeting, the county’s Finance Department Director Justin Cotton stated that 37 cents of the county’s $1.12 offer was due to J’s having an exclusivity clause in its agreement that prevents another restaurant from being allowed to reside in the mall.

“I included a 37-cent premium over what my recommendation would be, which accounts for the exclusivity – lack of competition inside the mall,” said Cotten, who added that he felt a higher rate is justified because of that clause.

Restaurant owner J.C. Petit Jr. was in attendance, but he remained silent during this portion of the discussion.

Rumor has it that Petit is going to allow the county to remove the exclusivity clause, which would drop the rent to 75 cents per square foot.

Upon being contacted by Warren County Way, Petit refused to deny or confirm the rumor, which was heard from a very reputable source.

“No comment,” he stated.

Petit did take the opportunity to clarify why he didn’t pay the invoices for trash collection.

“It’s not that I don’t want to pay the fee. It needs to be implemented in the new contract that is still in negotiations at this time. Once that contract is agreed upon and includes that fee, it will be paid. The trash compactor was in place over a year ago. No one, for several months, received a bill. Then, in January, only two stores were billed in the middle of a contract. Would you let a renter go seven months before sending notification? No.”