Board approves one‑year $1 parking lease with Good Samaritan Society amid questions about historic cemetery records

The Freeborn County Board voted on March 3 to approve a one‑year parking lot lease with the Good Samaritan Society for $1 per year, a move county leaders said is intended to indemnify the county and document the nonprofit’s current use of the parcel.

The administrator introduced the year‑to‑year lease and said the contract was reviewed by county counsel. Several commissioners urged caution and asked when the prior lease had expired and what compensation terms previous agreements contained; one commissioner said older records show the property was once part of the county poor farm and that there may be two cemeteries on the site but that the burials’ locations are unknown.

Commissioner Schauff and others urged that a survey and review of historic land records be conducted to identify cemetery locations and clarify property boundaries. County counsel and staff said the proposed lease includes indemnity and a 180‑day written cancellation provision and that the agreement can be terminated if issues arise; counsel added that detailed research and a workshop discussion could follow the one‑year lease rather than block immediate approval. Some commissioners asked staff to bring background materials and the previous lease language to a future workshop.

Despite those concerns, board members approved the one‑year lease on a roll call vote. Commissioners who voted in favor commonly said the lease protects county interests and allows staff time to research historic records and consider any needed surveying before making longer‑term decisions.

County counsel recommended the lease as protective because it documents permission to use the property, requires insurance/indemnity and provides termination language. Commissioners requested that staff return with the previous agreement’s language and consider a property survey to determine the location of potential burials before future renewals or longer‑term agreements.

The board’s action was limited to the one‑year lease; commissioners left open the possibility of a future workshop to decide whether to change lease terms or authorize a survey of the parcel.