LAKEPORT — The Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Tuesday unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the County and Marymount College that would establish a four-year university at the Lucerne Hotel.
The supervisors also authorized staff to work with the college administration to finalize a lease agreement for the hotel as soon as possible.
The now-defunct County Redevelopment Agency acquired the former hotel, also known as the Lucerne Castle, in 2010 and put out requests for proposals last June to place a college at the site. Marymount officials submitted a proposal in September. The BOS indicated support for the college”s proposal in October and authorized county staff to enter negotiations.
Officials from the college visited the Castle at the end of February to discuss a partnership with the county for the facility.
County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox said an MOU was prepared in advance of executing an actual lease agreement, though he said a lease agreement has already been sent to college officials. The MOU documents both parties” intentions and responsibilities for the proposed college.
The terms of the MOU indicate that Marymount would develop an institution that would increase the percentage of bachelor and graduate degrees in the county.
This would be accomplished with three educational goals: develop a local internship placement program; develop continuing educational opportunities and lifelong learning opportunities for county residents, including veterans, Indians and Hispanics; and to develop collaborative partnerships with the other county educational entities.
Cox said he knows Marymount would be a trusted partner in the venture.
“I strongly believe this is the right college for Lake County,” he said.
District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing and BOS Chair Rob Brown visited the Southern California college Monday to meet with officials before the vote on the MOU.
“They already feel like they”re part of the Lake County community,” Brown said. “They”re excited.”
“Their full intention is to be partners with the government and the community,” Rushing said. “This is truly a gift to the county, a real asset.”
Administrative analyst Alan Flora described the history and future of the proposed college in a Powerpoint presentation. He described some of the details of the proposed lease agreement, which would be for at least 15 years, beginning July 2013, with incentives for the college to purchase the facility from the county.
Flora said the lease would be $1 per year for the first five years to allow the college time to establish a presence in the county and move the institution forward. After five years, the lease would increase to a 50-percent net revenue sharing model with the county, with a minimum amount of $85,000 per year and a maximum amount of $250,000.
Cox said he hoped to have the lease finalized within 90 days. He said the county could recover all costs associated with the purchase of the Castle if the college purchases it, adding the longer the college takes to purchase, the cost to purchase continues to increase, giving the college an incentive to purchase early.
Rushing said college officials plan to begin reach out to the community in the fall with a town hall meeting that will be arranged at a later date.
The Board of Trustees for Marymount College is expected to vote on the MOU Saturday.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
