After some discussion this week, it appears that things at Freeland Hall may remain the same.

A few months ago, the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District discussed the possibility of taking over ownership of Freeland Hall from Island County as a way to expand programming. The parks and rec director and the board of commissioners, however, changed their tune when they realized the situation was more complex than they expected.

The county has a contractual agreement with the Holmes Harbor Activity Club, which manages the renting out of the facility for weddings, funerals or other events. The Holmes Harbor Activity Club, along with the former First Thursday Club, built the hall in 1914 and has been involved ever since then.

As part of the agreement with the county, the club is responsible for interior maintenance and the county covers exterior repairs. The club has spent about $40,000 in renovations over the years. Revenue raised from event rentals goes back into maintaining the hall.

Members of the Holmes Harbor Activity Club were shocked to hear that the county was considering offering ownership of the historic building to another entity, and worried about being excluded from the equation altogether if the other entity also took over managing the renting of the hall.

This is not the first time there has been tension between the two parties. In the past, it was discovered that the county owned the land that the hall is located on. In the 1970s, a county park board told the Holmes Harbor Activity Club that members were trespassing on public land, so it was decided that the club should lease the building in light of the amount of maintenance the club has performed on the hall.

Members of the club met this week with county officials to discuss the issue. Andy Campbell, the president of the club, said he thought it was a cordial meeting and much information was exchanged about the history of the building, which county officials did not seem to be aware of.

“We had a positive feeling when we left that we were holding our ground,” Campbell said.

Biggest outcomes from the meeting include negotiations about amending the current contract, which Campbell said is open-ended and does not mention a term or anything about renewal, and an agreement that both parties should be insured against liability.

The county asked the club to update some records in order to comply with the management agreement, such as documentation for nonprofit status. Campbell said the club lost nonprofit status during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the hall was closed to the public and not being rented out. The club is currently in the process of getting its nonprofit status back and is awaiting a response from the IRS.

Campbell said it is likely that members of the club will meet again with county officials, who are going to propose a new contract. He is confident this means that the Holmes Harbor Activity Club will continue to manage Freeland Hall.

“It’s not the county hall,” he said. “It’s Freeland’s hall.”

County officials could not be reached by press time for comment on the situation.