Friday, December 17, 1999
Mason, schools agree on terms
District to own rec center, city to own land
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MASON — The building that would house the new Mason High School and city recreation center will be owned by the school district — but the land it's on will remain city property.
Mason City Council and the Mason Board of Education this week each unanimously adopted a memorandum of understanding that outlines in general terms which group is responsible for different aspects of the ambitious joint project.
It will be built on 73 acres along Mason-Montgomery Road, between Main Street and Mason High School — if voters approve a $71.9 million bond issue the school board this week voted to put on the March ballot.
The project includes a 355,000-square-foot high school, a 128,000-square-foot recreation center and a 28,000-square-foot natatorium with a leisure and competition pool.
“These are the basic principles under which we've been operating under the past few months,” said Scott Lahrmer, Mason's city manager. “This document demonstrates the city's desire to partner with the schools to make this project work.”
Under the joint agreement, the city will lease the land to the schools for $1 a year for a minimum of 99 years.
An advisory council will resolve any disputes.
“You can't have one without the other,” said Mason Schools Treasurer Cary Furniss who has handled the financing aspect of the joint project. “The leadership team has been working together on this document which we need in order to put this on the ballot.”
The single building would be constructed in two stages with the classrooms and related school area built first, followed by the recreation center six to 12 months later.
Areas that the school would be responsible for include academic classrooms and related space, practice fields, weight room, wrestling room and offices for physical education teachers.
The city's park and recrea tion staff would be responsible for the community center's childcare facilities, leisure pool, locker rooms, concession area, aerobic and exercise rooms, the teen lounge and programming for senior citizens.
Both groups together would oversee the competition pool, auditorium, training room and field house.
On Jan. 8, city and school leaders will meet with architects in all-day session.
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