Senior Center thrift store could be rec program site

POST FALLS — The Post Falls Senior Center has found a familiar agency willing to purchase its thrift store to help it climb out of debt.

The city of Post Falls is proposing to buy the 5,500-square-foot building and the .92 acre it sits on for $275,000, plus $13,750 in closing costs to expand its indoor recreational activities and classes.

"This would be a good deal for the senior center because it would allow us to pay off about $200,000 in debt that we owe to the IRS and vendors, plus to have some in the bank account," said Greg McLean, president of the center. "We have money to sustain, but don't have enough to pay the debts."

The City Council will consider the proposed purchase tonight at 6.

"Having a new space would allow us to add several new programs that have been requested by the community, but we're unable to accommodate due to the lack of facilities," said Traci Stevenson, the city's recreation manager. "Our teen nights have been suspended due to no adequate available facilities. I believe the numbers show we could certainly support the facilities and have room for growth to better serve our citizens."

The thrift store closed on Saturday.

"With so many thrift stores, it was not a steady source of income and the utility bills were killing us," McLean said.

The assessed value of the building and land is $418,200.

"But there's no way we'd get that because the building needs updated," McLean said.

The city's indoor recreation programs are run through school gyms and the 1,600-square-foot Tree House building that was the former Chamber of Commerce along Interstate 90.

"It works well for smaller sedate classes such as painting, guitar, drawing and beginning Spanish," said Dave Fair, the city's Parks and Recreation director. "Active or larger classes such as dance and beginning gymnastics have been a struggle. The site has limited parking, no waiting or viewing space for parents and the restroom must be accessed through one of the classrooms."

Fair said the thrift store's pole barn construction allows for a large open space with a capacity of about 295. The building is also surrounded by city property, including the Centennial Trail on the north side. The city already owns the land the senior center is on and the parking lot to access the thrift store building from Third Avenue.

"(The proposed sale) is a solution that will allow the two properties to continue to function together," Fair said. "There is no law or rule that says we must pay top dollar."

The change in use will require that the city make improvements estimated at more than $100,000. The funding source for the purchase and improvements would be from impact fees.

For another revenue source, the senior center last month had its bingo license reinstated by the Idaho Lottery Commission after it was revoked nearly three years ago due to record-keeping violations. The game will re-start April 17 at 10:30 a.m.