FEMA, buyer dodge lease bullet

Consequently, the Hope City Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday night to extend FEMA's lease, but at the likely cost of being able to complete needed work on a runway that was to be vacated by FEMA this year.

Greenlawn Companies Vice President Brian Younkin, of Columbus, Ohio, told the board that he and his company's partners in the $27.4 million bulk purchase from FEMA were taken by surprise at the development when they began planning for removal of the units.

“When we got here last Tuesday, it was a shock to us that this lease was on hold,” Younkin said. “What we didn't know was the lease was up on certain areas.”

Younkin said his company was under the impression that it would have the bulk of the summer to remove some 642 units from the “crosswind runway” at the airport as part of a domino-effect project to get all of the units off the site. He said that, should the board not extend the lease on the runway and certain adjacent parcels, he and his partners would have to consider whether to go ahead with the deal with FEMA.

“I don't think they're going to be too happy about having to ask for their money back,” Younkin said. “There are several other groups in this purchase.”

FEMA Field Coordinator Jon Byrd said FEMA's course of action would be determined by the City's.

“I guess one thing is that, if they (Greenlawn) back out and go to the government and say they can't go through with the sale, FEMA will have to go back and re-advertise the sale,” Byrd said.

The board was clearly not happy with the circumstances.

“We want to work with you, but we've been looking at this runway project for two years, now,” Hope Mayor Dennis Ramsey said. “It's frustrating.”

Younkin said his company and partners were not interested in pursuing litigation over the failure of FEMA to inform them of the problem.

“Our plan was to have those units out of here by the end of summer,” he said of the units on the runway. Younkin said that, with good weather, those units could be removed within 60-90 days. He said when he and his team examined the airport property and realized how much wet weather had occurred over the year, they had to revise their planning.

He said two major hurdles existed to getting the job done: First, getting all of the units to a hard surface area for repair and cleaning; and two, expediting removal from the airport under any deadline the City imposed.

“If we're working weeks in advance of when the trucks get here, we're in better shape,” he said.

Based on the company's original plan for the entire purchase, 60-75 units were to be removed per day through December after cleaning and repair.

Greenlawn, based in Columbus, Ohio, is owned by Younkin's family, having been established in 1947, according to the company's website. The company has manufactured housing retail centers in Columbus, Lockbourne, Washington Court House and Chillicothe, Ohio, according to the website.

“Family members are also owners and managing partners in twelve land-lease communities and have developed a modular subdivision east of Columbus in Baltimore, Ohio,” the site states.

Hope City Manager Catherine Cook told the board that once the City committed to a renovation project on the runway, it needed to give its contractor a clear window of opportunity.

“We haven't been on that runway since FEMA has been there,” Cook said. “We don't know what is necessary until we get a look at it.”

She said cleaning, joint and crack repairs, repainting and remarking the runway will be needed, at the least.

“Everybody needs to be aware that, unless we can give a contractor 60 days we won't be able to do it until next year,” Cook said.