SEBASTIAN — The Sebastian City Council approved a $1,000 monthly rent to bring an out-of-state company to the Sebastian Municipal Airport’s administrative building. The company would have the option to lease the space at a higher rate once it is settled in. It is expected to generate four new local hires.
Community Development Director and Airport Director Joe Griffin told the Sebastian City Council Wednesday evening that National Aperture, of New Hampshire, is nearly ready to commit to relocating a portion of its business to Sebastian. In order to seal the deal, however, the company wants an option to lease its space at a later date and rent in the meantime.
In all, the company would represent six new jobs, though the first two employees will be the owner, George Mauro, and his second in command, Griffin said after the meeting. The company does plan to hire four new employees from the local pool of candidates.
“Six new jobs are six new jobs,” Mayor Jim Hill said in support of approving the lease option.
The company was attracted to the City of Sebastian due to the city’s “history of good management” and the county’s school system, according to a letter National Aperture owner George Mauro sent to city.
The company had planned to buy and renovate an existing building in the city or build anew until it looked at the Sebastian airport’s administration building, Mauro said in his letter to the city.
“Our primary interest is in the security, generator takeover, hurricane resistance and general peaceful and clean environment which we and our customers require for our operation,” he wrote.
The current understanding between the city and National Aperture, which manufactures motion controls for, among other applications, aviation, is that the company can rent the vacant wing of the administration building for $1,000 a month and be responsible for its portion of utilities.
When the company decides to lease the space, the price would be assessed on a square-foot basis of $8.50 – or approximately $1,630 a month.
The lease would be for an initial 5-year term that could be extended by another three years.
Griffin told the council that National Aperture would be relocating its “clean” manufacturing portion of the business to the airport, sealing off a portion of the vacant space to create a “clean” area for the work.
Mauro told the city in his letter that he hoped to receive approval of the property in March and begin the relocation process in order to get settled in sometime in the first quarter of 2013.
The Sebastian City Council, with minimal discussion, unanimously approved the lease option agreement with National Aperture.
