City Council OKs Stadium Lease Agreement with School District

The uncertainty behind the long term use and maintenance of the new Enumclaw Stadium is one step closer to resolution after the City Council unanimously approved a lease and shared use agreement between the city and the Enumclaw School District Monday night.

Councilmembers Kevin Mahelona and Sean Krebs were not present to vote.

The City and District reached a tentative agreement last Thursday, according to a .

The Council, at the recommendation of City Attorney Mike Reynolds, made some minor language adjustments related to the fact that the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) has yet to give its approval of the agreement.

The stadium benefits from a $300,000 RCO grant that was secured in state funding this year.

Councilman Jim Hogan was concerned that the absence of RCO approval might be problematic down the road, but City Administrator Mike Thomas said the approval delay was more likely a staffing shortage on their end and that "any remaining issues can easily be addressed." 

As part of the agreement, the City is identified as the sole property owner of the stadium while the School District takes on all other responsibilities. Some highlights of the agreement, according to Thomas' staff report, are:

• a 25-year term
• Allows access to the Field House locker rooms and bathrooms during football season but no access to newly remodeled bathrooms
• Allows School District exclusive use of the North Expo parking lot and Field House facilities on Friday nights during football season
• School District picks up utility costs (water, garbage, sewer and electricity)
• School District will replace turf field at the end of its useful life, unless this agreement is terminated within five years 
• City has access to the field for nine consecutive days each summer to accommodate Creationfest. The city can reserve additional days depending on availability.

Schools Superintendent Mike Nelson and School Board President Chris VanHoof (and YEAS committee member) were on hand to thank the Council.

Both students and parents have expressed their gratitude for the new stadium, Nelson said. "We believe this is a strong lease agreement."

In the end, the stadium "turned out great," said VanHoof. "It's being used a ton."

On a recent Saturday, according to VanHoof, there was a wedding at the Field House, a Junior Hornet football game on the field and Oktoberfest at the Expo Center. 

For the local economy, "This is the vision we had between all of us," he said.

The Enumclaw School Board has yet to weigh in on the agreement. The next school board meeting is Monday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the District office.

Editor's Note: Thank you to Tom Bugert, outreach director at the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition for directing us to a video created in support of the new Enumclaw field. You can view it with this article now. 

In other news:

• Council approved an ordinance to clean up language regarding the city's gambling tax.
• Council approved an ordinance to bring the signage and enforcement of the city's four public parking lots into alignment so that Enumclaw police can more effectively enforce parking codes. 
• Councilman Hogan put forth to Council and got authorization for city staff to purchase an 80 percent hedge of natural gas for the city for the summer of 2012 at no more than $4.10 per decatherm.

The city buys gas two times a year and has to lock in most of the gas for a set rate, he said. Prices on Monday for natural gas were $4 per decatherm. They're likely lower because of a manageable hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico as well as mild fall here in the west coast, he said. By comparison, the city paid $3.98 per decatherm for this past summer and $4.98 for this winter. 

With rates as low as they are, he said, the city should consider locking in 50 percent of gas for winter of 2012 as well.

• City Administrator Thomas reported that the city made two emergency expenditures: $4,800 plus tax for a phone controller for city offices; and collectively $17,300 was spent for repair and maintenance at the Aquatic Center, according to Community Development Director Erika Shook. For the pool, the expenses were still within the capital budget, she said.
• More than 100 people took time to fill out the city budget survey which closed Sunday night. The results will be used to help staff and Council plan for the 2012 budget, said Thomas.
• Several important public hearings and meetings are coming up in the next month.