School district, city discussing new civic center in Kellogg

KELLOGG — The former Kellogg Middle School building could soon house new tenants as the city of Kellogg and Kellogg School District begin exploring a partnership to repurpose part of the facility into a civic center. 

Both the Kellogg School District board of trustees and the Kellogg City Council recently approved moving forward with a potential memorandum of understanding, or MOU, that would allow the two entities to explore converting an unused section of the former school into a new city hall. 

For more than two decades, the city has operated out of a former warehouse at 1007 McKinley Ave. The building, once owned by the Bunker Hill Mine, was purchased by the city and extensively remodeled before city offices moved in during the mid-2000s. 

City Councilman Terry Douglas said the city currently leases the west end of the building to Bunker Hill for executive offices. Under a lease-option agreement that expires in 2029, the mine has the option to purchase the entire building from the city. 

The proposal comes as the school district continues to evaluate uses for the former middle school building, now known as the Administrative Annex. The facility has been a point of discussion since 2017, when middle school students moved into the former Sunnyside Elementary building after it had sat vacant for two years following the district's consolidation with Pinehurst. 

The Administrative Annex currently houses district back office staff, the technology department, preschool programs, and middle school band and physical education classes. 

Under the city's proposal, Kellogg would take control of the west academic wing and library area for use as city hall. City officials also presented a preliminary concept that includes a separate parking lot and entrance on the building's north side to address traffic concerns. 

All current City Hall operations, including the Kellogg Police Department, would relocate to the building. Douglas said the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, which leases space in the current City Hall, may also be interested in moving, along with the Central Shoshone Water District. 

“The idea is that an MOU will be drafted so that both parties can put in their goals, desires, wants, and needs, and we’ll see if we can make this work,” Douglas said. 

Few financial details have been discussed publicly because the proposal remains in its early stages. However, city officials indicated they would be willing to provide financial assistance to the district for projects such as building maintenance, athletic facility upgrades and other funding needs. 

Despite the limited details, officials from both entities expressed enthusiasm about exploring the concept. 

“They came to us with an idea,” Kellogg School District Superintendent Lance Pearson said. “Both sides are thinking it’s a win-win.” 

Douglas said one possibility would be to divide the building in a manner similar to a condominium arrangement, allowing the city to assume ownership of the portion it would occupy. 

Trustee John Schroeder said the repairs and upgrades needed to complete the project would require at least two years, a timeline that would align closely with the city's 2029 lease-option deadline with Bunker Hill. 

“It’s a shame to have that building sit there for so long unused,” Kellogg Mayor Rod Plank said. “It may no longer be suitable for its intended purpose as a school, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be repurposed for something else.” 

Trustee Bonnie Farmin said she supports the concept but wants to ensure all legal and procedural requirements are followed because the discussions involve two government entities and a public building. 

“We need to make sure we don’t have problems with rules or regulations,” Farmin said. 

KSD Board Chair Alexa Griffin said a public workshop would be the best venue for continuing the discussion. 

The workshop is scheduled for 5 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Kellogg School District Office.

    This artist-rendering shows the city of Kellogg's proposed idea to utilize the former Kellogg Middle School for its new civic building.