A rental fee appraisal that will be part of the renovations to the 44 and 76 Susquehanna St. buildings in Jim Thorpe was temporarily denied after Carbon officials wanted more information before moving forward with the appraisal.

On Thursday, the commissioners in a 2-1 vote, rejected a proposal from Person Agency of Lehighton for rental fee appraisals at 1202 North St., Jim Thorpe, the Mauch Chunk Trust Company Plaza; and 410 Center Ave., Jim Thorpe, the Jim Thorpe Area School District Administration Building. Commissioner Chris Lukasevich voted to move forward, while Commissioners Wayne Nothstein and Rocky Ahner voted against it for this week.

The board noted that the motion will be put on next week’s agenda in hopes of obtaining the additional information Ahner and Nothstein wanted to see before approving the action.

Prior to the vote, the board held a lengthy discussion about the proposal and rental agreements with the two entities because not all figures were in.

Ahner had the most reservations because he felt some necessary pieces of the puzzle were missing because he felt the action by the county would be getting ahead of themselves and showing their hand with regards to negotiations for the rental fee at the locations.

Lukasevich said the school district stated the rental agreement would utilize the fair market value of the appraisal and that is why the action is needed.

The two sites would allow the commissioners to move the departments of elections, planning and development, workforce training and juvenile probation to temporary locations while the renovations are taking place.

Once 44 Susquehanna St. is completed, elections, planning and development and workforce training would move into that building, while 76 Susquehanna St.’s first floor would be modified to accommodate juvenile and adult probation, as well as Veterans Affairs.

The projected time of completion of this renovation project is around August 2021.