City staff told the council the proposed budget includes a $48,000 annual lease to operate the old middle‑school gym as a municipal recreation facility. The superintendent, staff said, expects the building to be available as a leased space for several years while the district plans future elementary‑school expansions; the school district would reclaim the building if it needs the site for a new elementary campus.
Under the draft lease, the city would pay utilities, insurance and routine maintenance and would be responsible for cleaning and day‑to‑day operations; the school district would retain responsibility for major structural replacement if required to reuse the site for school facilities in the future. Staff said the lease is expected to be seasonal/annual and extend only while the district does not need the building for enrollment growth.
Staff and council discussed the condition of the city’s existing municipal gym, which the presenter said is aging and structurally declining. Council members and staff noted that leasing the middle‑school gym fills an interim rec‑center need but that long‑term population growth will likely require a purpose‑built recreation center funded via a future bond or capital plan.
Staff said the city could open the leased space as a mix of youth and adult programs in the near term and that the municipal recreation program will continue to explore potential expansions (pickleball, adult leagues) once lease terms are finalized and the city secures keys to the facility.