Is the Oneota Historic Future Alliance ready to pay back Winneshiek County?

The group that tried to save the Caretaker's House at Wellington Place, Oneota Historic Future Alliance, signed an agreement with Winneshiek County that if it could not find a tenant for the Caretaker's House, the organization would pay for the costs of demolishing that building.  When no tentant was found, the building was torn down--at a cost of $10,400.

On Monday, Winneshiek County supervisors discussed an e-mail sent to County Auditor Ben Steines by Decorah resident Deborah Bishop, who may or may not be an OHFA representative, asking how much money the group still owed to the county.

Winneshiek County Attorney Andy Van der Maaten told supervisors "I'm not sure why this issue has come up," because after Van der Maaten had sent a letter to OHFA president Jim Burns, requesting payment of the money, Burns replied that the group no longer had any money left.

County Board Chair John Logsdon suggested on Monday that it would be a bad precedent for the county board's future dealings with other non-profit groups if it began forgiving debts with OHFA.  Van der Maaten responded by questions whether the county board "should waste your time and additional money" on a debt that is probably not collectable.

In the end, Vand der Maaten and the board agreed that he would sent a letter to OHFA stating that the group still owed Winneshiek County $9,600 and asking for payment "at your earliest convenience."

Attempts by decorahnews.com to reach Deborah Bishop for a comment have so far not been successful.