Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The efforts for improvements to the old J.C. Club building continue in Tekoa. The longtime bar and social club next to the Empire Theater is now a community center. City council members walked through it two weeks ago to see what improvements are still needed in the building, which the city took over last year.
Council members noted a door change and wheelchair accessible entryway are needed, along with heating and kitchen work.
They also went down to the basement to inspect the water problem.
“It’s an old building,” said Mayor John Jaeger. “It’s been used for a long time.”
The city owns the building which operated as J.C.’s until last year, when it was returned to the city.
“Basically, they turned the key over to us and said it’s yours again,” said Jaeger.
It was last call after decades of history, including gambling nights and tightening liquor laws.
“It happened to be right across the street from the police station. So it wasn’t in a very good location probably,” he said.
The building has been available for rent for the past nine months.
The city of Tekoa has spent $29,000 from the general fund for the improvements. That includes $15,000 for a new roof, $6,500 in electrical work along with smaller expenses for a new floor, paint, a paneled ceiling and a pellet stove.
“The town’s fixing it up and the town’s using it,” said Jaeger.
Jaeger and the city council are now preparing a grant application for a loan from USDA Rural Development for the second phase of the improvement work.
The council has received three bids for a contract on the second phase, but has held off on selecting a contractor.
“We’ll probably wait for the grant,” said Jaeger.
The building has been rented for various occasions. Coming up on May 5 is the annual Desserts Auction which raises money to pay for fireworks at Slippery Gulch Days.
“It’s cookies and cakes which cost you from $60 to $300,” said Jaeger. “Last year some Miracle Whip went for $60, I think.”
Eventually, the mayor said the name will need to be changed on the community building.
The Tekoa city council addressed a range of issues at a meeting Monday night.
The “Old Business” section of the agenda featured an update from the Planning Commission regarding zoning. The city is in the process of solidifying the zoning into proper designations. Some parts of the town are designated as “Open Space Zones” which is not an official term.
Another item dealt with a proposed sidewalk leading past Dorsey Chevrolet. It would cross an area where cars are parked, and the sidewalk would be for schoolchildren mainly, Jaeger said.
“It looks like the school needs to initiate (getting the vehicles moved), rather than the city,” said the mayor.
In airport business, the city is arranging for all five -year hangar leases to be due at the same time.
The council voted to not bring in a dumpster to Gymkanna Park during this spring’s community cleanup, because it was not being used as designated.
“The intent was to cleanup the town,” Jaeger said. “People cleaned out their basements but the intent was that they’d clean out their backyard.”
The council also approved the purchase of a used backhoe for $68,453. It will be used on the ongoing sewer and water line projects.
“We’ve got one now,” said Jaeger. “We’re just putting too much money into it.”
He said the old one will be used for scooping gravel into trucks, but not for heavy digging.
The mayor indicated it does not make sense to trade the old one in now, but they may later surplus it or sell it for parts.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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