By Scott Harvey
Commerce – The City of Commerce is exploring the possibility of a multi-purpose facility to house a recreation center, library and pool.
Councilmen Tony Henry had requested the item be placed on the agenda. During a special session Tuesday night, the full council elected to move forward on appointing a task force to explore interest from the public on the matter.
"The task force will spend three or four months gathering information, or that's the way it usually works," said Interim City Manager Marc Clayton. "They'll meet on a regular basis and get a recommendation together, which takes several weeks, bring it back to the council and say this is our recommendation. Go forward or not go forward."
Clayton added that if Council were to move forward on the project, there's a good chance it would require the sale of bonds and therefore require voter approval. Grants and other funding options would be explored as well.
A recreation center was in the City's 2000 Master Plan but never went to vote. Clayton says the overall goal would be to bring additional revenue and citizens to Commerce.
Council members will each provide names of community members to possibly make up the task force when they meet on April 19.