A closed Seward school would become a city-run community center

The closed Seward Middle School would pass to the City of Seward under a long-term lease the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly takes up Tuesday, moving the vacant building's upkeep onto the city. Rent is $1 a year; Seward covers utilities, insurance and most maintenance, while the borough keeps the boiler and roof.

The city plans to run it as a community center, consolidating the Boys and Girls Club, Teen Youth Center and other recreation programs there. Seward's council already approved the lease July 27, though it won't be free — the city projects the building will widen its General Fund gap by $64,000 to $112,000 a year.

The district closed the school last year, citing declining enrollment, and state rules bar reopening a closed school for at least four years.