Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rainbow Music Lease topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Colfax council grants Rainbow Music a 12‑month lease extension after packed public pleas
Summary
After a packed public-comment period urging leniency for a 40‑year downtown music school, Colfax City Council voted unanimously to extend Rainbow Music’s lease for 12 months, then convert to month‑to‑month with 90‑day notice for either party; council also agreed to continue negotiations and building inspections during that time.
More than a dozen residents, students and longtime patrons urged the Colfax City Council on Tuesday to give Rainbow Music more time after the city told proprietors Rob and Christine Bonner their rail‑car studio lease would end Nov. 1.
Rob Bonner told the council the notice was abrupt: “We were supposed to be out by November 1,” he said, describing the emotional and logistical difficulty of packing 40 years of instruments and materials on short notice. Students and parents testified to the school’s value: a Colfax high‑school sophomore said, “Rainbow music is the only place in Colfax to learn an instrument,” and several speakers recounted years of low‑cost lessons and community performances.
City staff told the council the most recent extension had been intentionally limited to one year and that a communications breakdown left the Bonners surprised. City Manager Ron said the previous closed‑session extension was intended as a one‑year term and acknowledged the “breakdown in communication” that led to the current conflict.
Council debated several options, balancing the Bonners’ community role against the city’s need to inspect and, if necessary, repair the historic rail car. Concerns included the building’s roof and structural integrity and the fact that some maintenance tasks require the car to be vacant. Council members proposed different time frames — syncing the lease with the business license, an eight‑month extension, or a full 12‑month grace period — and discussed safeguards, including inspection and notification terms.
Councilmember Burris moved to extend the lease for 12 months, convert it to month‑to‑month after that period, and require 90‑day notice by either party for termination while leaving the financial terms unchanged. The motion was seconded and passed by roll call vote with unanimous support.
The council also agreed to continue negotiations during the extension period, pursue any necessary inspections or repairs, and explore options to help the business remain viable in Colfax. Council members and volunteers offered to assist with outreach and technical help (for example, improving the business’s online presence and fundraising) while a longer‑term plan is developed.
What happens next: The Bonners retain occupancy for the coming year and then may continue month‑to‑month under the agreed notice provisions. Council directed staff to continue negotiating and to report back to the council with inspection results and proposed next steps.
