OHFA repays Winneshiek County $2,400

The Oneota Historic Future Alliance has paid $2,400 to Winneshiek County.

The payment represents 25 percent of the money owed to the county by OHFA.  Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines says he received the payment Thursday from OHFA member Deborah Bishop.

Winneshiek County supervisors voted 5-0 last month to bring a lawsuit against OHFA on the grounds the organization is guilty of a breach of contract with the county.  OHFA had promised to cover the costs of demolishing the Caretaker's House at Wellington Place if the organization couldn't get the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places or find a tenant for the building.

OHFA paid Winneshiek County $5,000, but a good share of that money was used to pay for asbestos removal in the building--as agreed upon in their contract.  When OHFA could not find a tenant for the building and it was demolished, the county was left with a $9,600 bill.