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Board rejects offer and keeps Recycle Center listing after public pitches for gymnastics use
Summary
Several residents urged the county to sell the Recycle Center for a gymnastics/dance facility; after discussion the board rejected an offer from The Difference Real Estate and withdrew support for taking the property off market, voting 6-0 with one abstention on the rejection motion.
Multiple community members asked the board to consider an offer to buy the county Recycle Center and convert it into a gymnastics and dance facility. Amy Bissonette (a long-time Kalkaska resident and gymnastics teacher) and Lindsey Arsenoe (owner of LA Gymnastics) described plans to hire staff and bring jobs to the community and urged the board to negotiate or accept their offer. Their representatives, including real-estate broker Rick Matley of The Difference Real Estate, asked the county to review the full offer and adhere to listing agreement terms.
Matley also raised broader facility concerns about the Kaliseum, telling the board of "lack of bathroom privacy doors, broken equipment and cannabis use on site," and urged better maintenance and professional social-media conduct by Kaliseum staff. After closed-session discussions and follow-up in open session, the board adopted a motion by Commissioner Robert Baldwin to reject the 5/16/2025 offer from The Difference Real Estate; the motion passed with six yeas and one abstention (Matley abstained). The board discussed keeping the property on the market while exploring other interest and next steps.
