The Sparks Heritage Museum’s building lease with the city was up for renewal, but it was not approved.

The museum has been operating on a month-to-month lease agreement with the city since 2006, receiving free rent in exchange for its cultural contributions to the community. However, museum officials wanted an agreement that was a little more permanent.

“We finally got to a point where we thought it (the contract) was good,” said Dick Dreiling, president of the Sparks Heritage Museum board of trustees. Dreiling added that the contract negotiation process has been going on for several years.

But others on the council had a different idea about the contract, stating that there was no public accountability in it.

“They are turning over city property to a nonprofit group,” said councilman Ron Schmitt. “We are paying for all of the expenses with nothing being accounted for. There is no public accountability for these funds but they are getting all of the benefit.”

The city currently pays the bills for all power, sewer, water and other utilities at the museum.

The new lease agreement fell under a 2-1 vote of the city council with council members Julia Ratti and Ron Smith saying, “yes” to the lease and Schmitt casting a “no.” Only three voting council members were present Monday with members Phil Salerno and Mike Carrigan absent.

Since the item was not unanimously approved by those present, Sparks Mayor Geno Martini asked that it be brought back and voted on at a later council meeting. According to City Attorney Chet Adams, the item was simply not approved hence it can be brought back at a later time before a full council. A future date for discussion was not settled on.

What was housed in the building was also a topic of discussion.

Bundled with the lease agreement was a memorandum of understanding that spelled out the future of all artifacts in the event that the museum went defunct.

According to the document, the artifacts would have been turned over to another nonprofit organization if the museum went under. However, according to Dreiling, the closest qualifying entity is the city of Reno’s museum.

“They would be put in storage,” Dreiling said of the artifacts.

The failed lease agreement would have run through 2039 and had two optional 10-year extensions.

The old brick museum building on Victorian Avenue has been leased to the museum from the city for free since 1981 when the city decided to make the property a central part of its downtown redevelopment plans. It was then that the city leased the property from the county.

The city controls the building under a 99-year lease from Washoe County, which expires in 2080.

More than 20 people came to the Monday council meeting to hear the result of the lease agreement vote.

“I know what constitutes a well managed nonprofit organization and I believe that the museum is a very well managed and valuable resource for Sparks and all of northern Nevada,” Richard Simmonds, a volunteer for the museum, told the council under public comment. “It is my opinion that the museum is on the verge of major improvements. … and you should approve the agreement.”

The museum is funded entirely on donations, membership fees and admission money, according to museum director Anthea Humphreys.