City, Folsom VFW agree on lease agreement at hall

The Folsom Veterans of Foreign Wars negotiated a $6,000-a-year lease agreement with the city to continue at the Forrest Street lodge for up to 20 more years. The city of Folsom and VFW Post 6604 have been under a lease agreement to use the city property at 1300 Forrest Street since 1996, staff said. The most recent agreement was in 2009, updated in 2014. "Throughout this period, Folsom Post No. 6604 has consistently paid their monthly lease rate and done their part to care for and maintain the property," city staff said in the report. The nonprofit veterans organization met with the city in January to renew the lease and continue operations and service to veteran military servicemen and women in the Folsom community. A California city may lease property for up to 55 years. The city received a letter from the Folsom VFW with a formal request to continue the lease of the city-owned property, with requested terms. The Folsom VFW verbally agreed to city terms last month, and the City Council approved it unanimously 5-0 on Tuesday. The major terms of the lease are: * A five-year lease with option to renew the lease for three additional terms of five years each, for a potential total of 20 years. * The lease term would begin June 1 and end in 2029 (initial five years). * VFW Post 6604 shall pay $500 in rent each month. Folsom VFW Post 6604 officers include Commander and U.S. Army Vet Robert M. Lee, Senior Vice Commander Jeff Moore, Junior Vice-Commander Joshua Baker and Adjutant/Quartermaster Robert Bailey. Other Folsom VFW officers include Chaplain Sean Moncalieri, One-Year Trustee Len Dobish, Two-Year Trustee Leonard Bowe, Three-Year Trustee Kenneth Davis, Judge Advocate Robert Repar, Surgeon Julia Schumacher, Service Officers Jim Davis and Steve Reed, and House Committee Chair Sean Niemi. Folsom VFW auxiliary officers include President Cheryl Lambert, Senior Vice-President Derek Johnson, Junior Vice-President Lisa Goeppner, Treasurer Birgit Davis, Chaplain Kelle Hernandez, Secretary Leslie Wade, Conductress Margaritha Sipma and Trustee #1 Cynthia Bauer, according to the website. Andrew "Skip" Miller is the regional District 17 Commander of VFW Post 8254. The Folsom Vet Hall office hours on Forrest Street are from Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon, with free coffee served. The Folsom VFW Canteen at the location is open from 2-6 p.m. each weekday, noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, according to the Post 6604 website at VFW6604.org.