The Harlan Fiscal Court discussed a lease renewal for the Benham Inn during a recent meeting.

“The lease on the Benham Inn expires on June 30,” Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley said. “It was a two-year deal, but he had an option to renew after one year and he exercised the option.”

According to Mosley, he met with Travis Warf, who leases the Benham Inn from the county.

“I met with him to go over the lease,” Mosley said. “He has proposed a variety of changes.”

Mosley told the magistrates he would outline the requested changes for them.

“If you would like for me to go over those now I will,” Mosley said. “If you would like for me to put them in a letter and get those to you to review, I’d be glad to do that.”

Mosley said some of the proposed changes include changing from a two-year option to a four-year term.

“He proposed changing the way he pays,” Mosley said. “Right now, he pays us a flat rate per year, he proposed changing that in exchange for some work being done on the building…there are a variety of proposals.”

Mosley said Warf has done a good job making the Benham Inn profitable.

“When we leased the Benham Inn to him two years ago, the college was losing $152,000 a year on that facility,” Mosley explained. “He has turned the corner and is doing a remarkable job. He’s been booked most weekends with weddings and such.”

Mosley said the building does need some maintenance work done.

“He’s had people complain about the carpet in the rooms,” Mosley said. “He’s been having people complain about the tile in the bathrooms…there’s an issue with the Jacuzzi tub…just a variety of things the he feels need to be addressed.”

Mosley said some of the items are addressed in the current lease.

“There are some things we’ll have to work out as to what we’re willing to address in the next lease,” Mosley said. “The only thing in the lease that we did not do that we committed to do was put in an AED device, so that’s something we need to get done.”

Mosley added Warf would like the county to seek out a grant to install an elevator as well as upgrade restroom access for the handicapped.

“He’s got some things that I feel like we legitimately need to look at,” Mosley said. “He’s done phenomenal job and exceeded all our expectations.”

Magistrate Bill Moore said he would like Mosley to put all the proposals in letter form for the magistrate’s consideration.

“I would like to see you be the chief negotiator and sit down with him and work up a lease agreement that you feel comfortable with and then come back and present that to the court,” Magistrate David Kennedy suggested.

After further discussion, the court tabled the issue in order to work out the details of a possible new lease.