The Kuna City Council on an unanimous voice vote authorized the mayor to submit a sealed bid on behalf of the city for the purchase of real property identified in the meeting as the former Fourth Street gym at 571 West Fourth Street.

City Attorney Mark Bybee told the council that open‑meeting and public‑records laws limit what the council can discuss about a purchase of property that is owned by a public entity and that submitting a sealed bid creates a tension between keeping a bid confidential and making governmental actions public. Bybee said the alternative the council could use was to allow the mayor to set the bid amount so that council would not have to publicly adopt a specific dollar figure before the sealed‑bid deadline. He emphasized that submitting a bid would not legally bind the council to purchase the property if the council later declined to appropriate funds.

“...the bid still does need to be sealed, but it would be authorizing the mayor to submit it,” Bybee said, and asked whether the council was comfortable leaving a dollar amount to the mayor’s discretion.

City Clerk Stanley told the council the minimum bid would be roughly $1,700,000 based on the assessed value and said the sealed‑bid documents needed to be filed by 4:00 p.m. the next day. Staff had prepared the bid forms without a dollar amount attached.

Council members asked about the building’s condition and potential liabilities. Planning and Zoning Director Doug Hansen said appraisal work had factored some mitigation into the property value but staff did not have a full inventory of asbestos, lead pipes or other specific remediation needs. Council members noted the gym has been used for local sports and community programs — including roller derby — and that the school district still uses some office space on the site.

Council members said preserving the site as a community asset was a central consideration while also identifying risks that ownership could require the city to fund maintenance or remediation. After discussion, a council member moved to authorize the mayor to submit a sealed bid on behalf of the city for 571 West Fourth Street; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote.

The motion does not appropriate funds or obligate the city to complete a purchase; any final purchase would return to council for approval. The city clerk, per remarks in the meeting, will record and retain the sealed‑bid documents as required by the bid process.