Kuna council authorizes mayor to submit sealed bid for former Fourth Street gym

Kuna City Council on Monday authorized the mayor to submit a sealed bid for the former Fourth Street gym at 571 West 4th Street, agreeing to let city staff set a confidential bid amount so the city’s offer would not be disclosed before the seller opened bids.

City Attorney Mark Bybee told the council that state public-record and open-meeting laws complicate discussion of sealed bids when the underlying property is owned by another public entity. "There’s a conundrum here: the bid still needs to be sealed, but if the council sets the amount everybody will know what the bid is," Bybee said, urging the council to decide whether to allow the mayor discretion to submit an undisclosed amount.

Mayor (presiding official) and staff clarified that submitting a bid would not legally bind the council to purchase the property. The mayor said staff had prepared the bid documents without a dollar amount and noted the bid package must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. the following day. The city clerk (identified in the transcript as Stanley) provided a reference point: based on assessed value, "the minimum bid would be roughly $1,700,000," giving the council a range to consider.

Planning and zoning director Doug Hansen told council members that staff had "a general idea" of mitigation needs (lead, asbestos and other issues) and that some concerns were factored into the appraisal, but he said the exact severity and specifics were not known.

Council members raised repeated concerns about the city inheriting maintenance liabilities if it purchased the property, including plumbing, roof and accessibility upgrades. Councilors also discussed current community uses — youth sports and roller derby — and possible future uses, including a YMCA or redevelopment, while several council members said they favored keeping the building as a community asset if feasible.

After discussion, a council member moved and a second was offered to authorize the mayor to submit a sealed bid on behalf of the city for 571 West 4th Street. The motion carried on a voice vote. Councilors and staff said the bid opening is imminent and that any acceptance of a bid by the school district (the seller) would return to the council for formal authorization before funds are expended.

Next steps: staff will submit the sealed bid by the posted deadline; if the seller proceeds with an award, the council expects staff to return with the bid amount and a recommended course of action for further council consideration.