Hoping to land a new tenant as soon as possible, members of the Buckley City Council have authorized city administration to negotiate the termination of a long-term lease with Del’s Farm and Feed.

The Delaware-based Tractor Supply Co., the owner of Del’s, has shuttered its operation on River Avenue in conjunction with the opening of a new Tractor Supply store in Enumclaw. The rustic building that housed Del’s is owned by the city.

At issue during the council’s April 12 meeting was whether Buckley wanted to play hardball with the national chain. Council members decided it was in everyone’s best interest to part ways in as friendly a manner as possible.

After rumors surfaced that Tractor Supply Co. planned to close the Del’s store in Buckley, City Administrator Dave Schmidt tracked down a TSC representative who confirmed the closure. The doors were opened for a final day of business April 15 and the building is to be cleaned and vacated by May 15.

That left, on the table, an issue of money and an existing contract. According to an agreement inked by the city and Tractor Supply Co., the company is required to make lease payments through the end of 2016. Combining a base lease and a state tax, TSC pays $2,243 per month for the rustic, downtown building. Payments through the end of December would total nearly $16,000.

Late last week, Schmidt said he wasn’t sure what direction the negotiations would take. He’s only sure that the city is willing to listen.

A memo from Schmidt to the mayor and council noted that the city already has five requests in hand from five interested parties, all wishing to use the building for farm-and-feed purposes.

Allowing Tractor Supply to terminate it’s lease prior to the end of the year would allow the city to move faster in selecting a new tenant.

The city obtained the River Avenue property years ago, after Burlington Northern Railroad vacated its right-of-way and pulled up its tracks.