Committee debates adding Wi‑Fi at Isanti Community Center and modest rental fee increase

Isanti City staff recommended installing commercial internet at the Isanti Community Center to support hybrid meetings and event rentals, and proposed modest rental fee increases to help offset operating deficits.

Staff told the committee the center currently has about 20 rentals per month on average and that the building is operating at a deficit under current rates. “To cover all our costs, with the average of 20 rentals per month … it would be roughly a hundred $71 per rental,” staff said, noting the current basic rental charge is $50. As a practical step to fund Wi‑Fi, staff proposed a $5 across‑the‑board increase to rental fees and requested direction to gather quotes from providers.

Committee members asked about alternatives, including using a hotspot from a phone for occasional events, linking the community center to City Hall Wi‑Fi via a rooftop antenna, and soliciting quotes from Midco, CenturyLink, Verizon and T‑Mobile. Staff said the quoted price through CenturyLink (the city’s current City Hall provider) was about $83.67 per month including estimated taxes and fees (quote figure provided during discussion), and that Midco and Verizon quotes had not yet been obtained.

Members discussed use cases for higher speeds (business meetings and hybrid events) and the likelihood that mobile hotspot service will improve over time, reducing need for a dedicated line. Staff recommended increasing rental fees (for example, to $70 for a typical rental) and adding Wi‑Fi to make the space more attractive for business and hybrid events; staff also said Wi‑Fi could improve security and other services at the center.

The committee did not adopt a new rate at the meeting. Members directed staff to obtain additional provider quotes (Midco, Verizon, T‑Mobile) and return with cost, speed and reliability comparisons and a proposal for a fee schedule update.