The Kalona City Council will consider a contract with an architecture firm at its next meeting. The recommendation for the council to enter into a contract with Martin Gardner Architecture was made by community members at an open house on Tuesday.

The firm would prepare preliminary design, engineering specs and cost estimates for a new community center and for renovating the existing facility. According to City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh, when the estimates come in, meetings would be held to determine which option residents prefer.

He shares with the $3.2 million downtown renovation project set to be paid off in December, those who attended the meeting agreed now was the time to look into improving the current facility or building a new one. He says directing the funds currently going to pay off the downtown project would be directed to this proposed project, meaning they could finance it while avoiding a substantial increase to property taxes.