Enumclaw Schools, City Continue to Clash Over Stadium Lease

At a recent special session of the Enumclaw School Board, members continued to express frustration with the city regarding discussions of a lease for the new Enumclaw Stadium.

City Council members downplayed the problems at their meeting Monday night, saying talks will continue when City Attorney Mike Reynolds returns, and there should be no concerns that any athletic events would have to be played elsewhere because no agreement is in place.

The school board doesn’t particularly agree. Members said they seem to have a sense of urgency in the talks that the city does not.  They also said the city keeps changing the playing field.

Corey Cassell expressed his concern over the length of the negotiations. He said the schools have negotiated in good faith and on numerous occasions tentative agreements have been made. He said he is losing patience and is very frustrated. “In the end, the intent was for this to be a school district facility for the football team, kids and athletes. This has morphed into something else by the city,” Cassell said, according to minutes of the meeting.

Chris VanHoof said he also is frustrated that the rules continue to change. “We have gone from a lease agreement to a user agreement and back again,” he said in the minutes, adding, “We have to respect their process and that they operate differently than we do.”  The city process includes work being done in committees before going to the full board.

Cassel said he would like to see an agreement finished by the middle of October. VanHoof, Nancy Merrill  and Tim Nickson agreed. “This is a costly process for us as we don’t have in-house counsel like the city,” Nickson said in the minutes.

Superintendent Mike Nelson said that should be possible as the city meets Sept. 26 and Oct. 2.

 “It will send a clear message to the community when we can get this resolved,” Merrill said in the minutes.

How much are fees costing?

The board also discussed fees the school district will be charged until an agreement is made.  VanHoof explained the district will be charged an hourly rate. The district has not yet received a bill from the city for field use, though City Administrator Mike Thomas has indicated the school district would be billed according to the user fees.

Nelson said he hoped the lease would be signed by Sept.  26 so schools would only pay for two football games and a couple of soccer matches.

Merrill asked if there was a way to figure out what games and practices would cost so far. Business director Tim Madden said the cost per day is $545. Cassell  said it was his understanding that no fees would be paid by the district while negotiations continued.

Merrill expressed concern over the breakdown of the relationship with the city and their longstanding use of school facilities with minimal or no fees. “ We could consider drawing up a use agreement, and the city could also pay us,” she said in the minutes. “It would be the breakdown of a key relationship in our community. “ She asked if the school district would pay much more if it took the football games to an out-of-town venue as it appears it will be paying city fees well into October.

Cassell commented that the fee structure could change at any time, and the school district may have to look elsewhere, which would be “extremely unfortunate.”

Nickson added that using a different venue or having to rent the new stadium is the “beginning of a downhill slide.”

New hitch

New language in a proposed lease agreement put in by the city and disputed by the school board includes a second turf replacement and an $18,000 grant. Reynolds requested the language.

Nelson said that language could be added but the schools would want to extend the life of the lease. He stated the district did not agree with the $18,000 matching grant money as well as additional rights to the stadium. “In the lease, we would assume revenue and scheduling,” he said in the minutes, adding, “we need to work together.”

The board seemed especially frustrated because in late August it thought a 25-year lease was eminent when a draft pact was agreed upon. When leaving the meeting, the district asked three times if that was all, and the city responded that it was, the minutes say.

Once a lease is signed

Once a lease is signed, Nelson asked about the city’s request to schedule events for free if the schools don’t have anything scheduled. The board has no problems with that, adding it is willing to work with the city on its major events. The city could use it free if booking are within 30 days, and there are no other conflicts on the field. The city would pay a fee for all other scheduled use.

As for fees to be charged, Nelson stated work is being done to set them up based on the fee schedule at Sumner’s Sunset Stadium. Nelson asked if the board has any interest in paying money for field use. “Absolutely not,” Cassel said in the minutes, and all agreed.