County committee approves $10 per-square-foot rent for Kraus Building; annual cost and FY27 increase reported

Jessica told the Public Buildings Advisory Committee that, following renovations that increased occupied square footage, staff recommends setting rent at $10 per square foot for Kraus Building leases with the sheriff's offices and Emergency Management.

She said the renovated square footages are 55,198 for the Sheriff's A and B buildings and 12,744 for Emergency Management, for a total of 67,942 square feet. At $10 per square foot, the annual rent would be $679,420, or $56,618.33 per month. Jessica gave a contract breakdown of $551,980 annually for the sheriff and $127,440 for Emergency Management.

She said the change will produce an FY27 budget increase of $324,172.48 and that four months of rent due in FY26 (MarchJune) would total $226,473.33; Jessica said that amount is available in the FY26 general government budget because the Kraus and ICB buildings had not been charging rent while under construction.

Committee members asked about the comp data used to recommend $10 per square foot; Jessica said she shared LoopNet comps and operational-cost assumptions with the committee the prior Thursday. One committee member noted market rents for comparable office space in the area can range higher; staff said $10 is a recommended baseline with future CPI-based adjustments possible when contracts are renewed.

The committee moved and approved Jessica's recommendation to set rent at $10 per square foot for the Sheriff and Emergency Management contracts and directed staff to proceed with the contracts and budgeting implications.