Huntsville CAO Denise Corry told council at its November 28 meeting that based on discussions with legal counsel and the fact that the Lions Club has invested money in Chaffey Hall, the club could have a legal case against the municipality if it were to choose not to proceed with the transference of ownership of Chaffey Hall to the Huntsville Lions Club.
Council heard the relationship between the Lions and its tenant, the Huntsville Theatre Company, has been acrimonious. Issues involved the theatre company notifying the Town on October 27 that the furnace had been “locked out” due to a cracked heat exchanger. The Town replaced the furnace on October 28, and will be deducting $5,000 from the $16,320 annual grant it agreed to pay the Lions over five years in 2013 to divest itself of the hall. It has two payments left.
Councillor Nancy Alcock called the theatre group an exciting cultural initiative for the municipality and expressed concern with what she referred to as a toxic relationship between the tenant and the landlord.
Ovell said in speaking with the Lions, his impression is that they are willing to wipe the slate clean. He also said it behooves the club to maintain its relationship with the Huntsville Theatre Company to help with the cost of maintaining the hall. Whether that relationship continues past the expiration of its tenancy agreement with the theatre company will depend on how it treats its tenant, he added.
Related story: Drama at Chaffey Hall: the Huntsville Lions Club vs. the Huntsville Theatre Company
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