County supervisors would do mediation with OHFA, but still expect to be paid $9,600

Winneshiek County supervisors heard Monday from Oneota Historic Future Alliance representative Deborah Bishop about the $9,600 the group owes the county for the demolition costs of the Caretakers House at Wellington Place.

Bishop had suggested the county board and OHFA agree to mediation about the debt--a suggestion the supervisors said they were willing to do--but not if it meant reducing the debt by OHFA.

Much of Monday's discussion revolved around the former East Side School materials that are now owned by OHFA.  Bishop said they included flooring, lumber, doors and 30 pallets of bricks.  But when supervisor John Logsdon asked what OHFA would do if a contractor offered $10,000 for the entire inventory, Bishop replied, "I would have to think about that."

Her comment led supervisor Dennis Karlsbroten to respond, "I admire your passion, but we're also in a business (agreement)."

Supervisors then learned that OHFA has not taken an inventory of the items it owns.  Supervisor Mark Kuhn asked Bishop, "How can you sell anything if you don't know what you have?"

The OHFA board--which consists of Bishop, Janelle Pavlovec, Kyrl Henderson, Scott Hawthorn and Larry Berland, will meet Monday night at 7:30 at the NE Iowa Peace & Justice Center to discuss ideas on how to sell the remaining East Side School materials.