Church-state group challenges land swap
A national group advocating for the separation of church and state sent a letter Wednesday to the city of Coeur d’Alene, claiming the city’s recent land-swap agreement for the proposed Salvation Army Kroc Community Center is “unconstitutional.”
The group, called Americans United for Separation of Church and State, also warned that the result could be “the hassle and heartache of a lawsuit.”
Coeur d’Alene City Attorney Mike Gridley called the letter “the height of arrogance.”
“It’s interesting to me that they are expressing a legal opinion about this arrangement without having reviewed any of the legal documents involved,” Gridley said Wednesday. “I think this is just a scare tactic from this organization.”
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, based in Washington, D.C., said it has received several complaints from Coeur d’Alene residents about the city’s recent agreement to provide a former gravel pit on Ramsey Road for construction of the recreation center.
The land, valued at about $1 million, will be transferred to The Salvation Army through a deal with the Coeur d’Alene Parks Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization.
The city also agreed last week to spend $3 million to prepare the 12-acre parcel for construction.
In exchange, the city will receive about 9 acres of nearly equal value off Prairie Avenue that is owned by the foundation.
City officials have said the arrangement avoids church-state conflicts.
In Wednesday’s letter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State said the group is “deeply concerned” about the deal. The letter urged the city to suspend the land swap and offered to help devise another arrangement.
The group has requested documents about the transaction.
Gridley said he’s confident the current agreement will withstand scrutiny.
“It doesn’t need to be fixed. It works. We believe the arrangement (with) the Parks Foundation and transfer of the land is entirely legal and constitutional.”
Construction on the project is scheduled to begin this summer, with the 109,000-square-foot facility expected to open in late 2008. The two-story building will feature a swimming center, fitness facility, jogging track, climbing wall, 400-seat chapel and other amenities.
The Kroc Foundation will provide about $30 million for the construction and about $30 million for an endowment to operate it.