Most residents who have been following the contentious standoff between the city of Elizabeth City and the Opportunities Industrialization Center probably came to the conclusion long ago that the city should just end its agreement with the organization and move on.

Well, that's exactly what happened last week, and it was the right decision.

Having failed to convince the OIC to agree to city-required audits necessary for its continued operation of the Hugh Cale Training and Resources Center, City Council, by a 6-1 margin, voted to terminate its 10-year lease with the agency — a lease originally awarded in 2006. Termination of the lease, effective in 180 days, is set for Oct. 29.

We had supported OIC's operation of the center as along as it complied with the city's oversight and auditing requirements. But the agency made little effort to work with city officials who, for months, have been asking for an audit of OIC's financial records.

Hence, with little consideration for the city's accountability to state funding authorities or to the taxpayers, OIC has demonstrated that it should not be rewarded with continued operation of a publicly-owned facility.

Nevertheless, we still consider many of OIC's programs important to the community. The agency has provided educational and job assistance to many residents as well as other services. Hence, we hope the organization can find another venue to continue those services.

However, it would not be in the city's interest to reverse itself on the matter of OIC, even if the agency suddenly found itself more willing to comply with the auditing requirement. The OIC has had numerous opportunities to comply with several deadlines set by the city. But the response has been to ignore them or create some reason for not complying. That relationship is untenable and unreasonable for any public agency. And it would only encourage other organizations, agencies or businesses contracted by the city to respond similarly by not taking seriously municipal officials' words or deadlines.

Accordingly, it's best to draw a close on this chapter of the Hugh Cale Center and move on.

The term of six months to end the lease gives OIC reasonable time to make plans for its relocations. And, more important, it gives the city some time to locate another operator for the center.

That won't be an easy task. When the initial contact lease was awarded to OIC, the final choice was between OIC and the Community Development Program operated by Elizabeth City State University. Whether ECSU or other local agencies are still interested in the contract at the Hugh Cale Center remains to be seen. We certainly hope so. Additionally, the city will need to revise and implement new policies to more stringently govern the relationship with the next Hugh Cale center operator.

Lessons learned during the last year have made it imperative that the city have mutually understood oversight policies in place as well as ironclad agreements that guarantee accountability and performance evaluation.

That and finding an agency that can provide the services needed by residents who use the center should be a high priority for the city.