SCOTIA — A resolution on what to do with the Flint House won’t be made until a new operating budget is finalized for the upcoming fiscal year, but Scotia officials in the meantime are hoping to assemble a group of volunteers interested in steering the future of the facility.
The decision to hold off on any action relating to the structure until a budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year is adopted by May 1 was made during a trustee work session meeting on Tuesday, just weeks after it was determined the building is in need of extensive repairs and upgrades that could cost between $100,000 and $700,000.
“At this moment in time, we are in the middle of a budget,” said Mayor David Bucciferro. “I think we should get through that so we know where we stand and what we can do.”
Located at 421 S. Reynolds Road, the Flint House and adjoining property were gifted to the village in the mid-1990s under the condition the former corn broom farm be utilized as a community space. While the property has been made into a public park and is home to the village’s dog park and community garden, the structure, which is not listed on any historic registry, has fallen into disrepair in the decades since.
A recent report issued by Luis Aguero, the village’s building inspector, determined the Flint House is in need of a new roof, and its brick-and-stone foundation is deteriorating and needs extensive repairs. The building’s interior is also covered in white mold and is in need of electrical upgrades, according to the report, which also recommended taking steps to make the facility ADA compliant.
The Flint House was the site of public events and private tours, but has been closed to the public since the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The building is also home to the village historian’s office, several antiques and historical documents.
Trustee George Solotruck has been working with a group of volunteers to catalog and pack items located in the building in recent weeks, but it’s still unclear where the items will be stored long-term or what will happen to the structure moving forward.
“We don’t really have a formal place to put stuff yet. We don’t have a long-term plan for the building yet. So, securing what’s there is kind of a priority,” Solotruck said.
But needed repairs for the structure continue to mount.
Recently, the building’s boiler and chimney flue failed, prompting the village to winterize the structure, according to Ryan Kedzior, the village’s superintendent of public works. Kedzior said an initial estimate to replace the boiler ranged between $16,000 and $16,500, while the chimney repairs could cost between $1,500 and $5,000.
Kedzior has previously said heating the building has cost the village between $500 and $1,000 each month due to the aging boiler and lack of insulation.
“We did winterize the building; drain all the water out of the raiders, bathrooms and sinks,” Kedzior said. “There’s no issue with freezing or anything like that with the cold temperatures.”
Officials agreed to begin soliciting volunteers who could potentially help relocate items, and help solicit grant funding and develop ideas on what the next steps for the Flint House should be.
Trustee Keith Brown suggested gathering public input before determining what to do with the Flint House moving forward. He said it's important to gain input on potential uses for the property and determine what kind of interest there is before moving forward with costly repairs.
He also suggested possibly transferring the building to a nonprofit group in the future.
“I don’t feel capable of making decisions about this without having public input on what people would like to see in that location, but also what burden people are willing to bear,” he said.
Trustee Heather Gray echoed similar sentiments, noting that officials have long talked about the Flint House, but have taken no action to repair the building.
“We’re at a standstill now,” she said. “We’ve pushed the envelope for a while now about what is going to happen to the Flint House, but we really need to seek some answers.”
But Trustee Justin Cook said lawmakers must “walk and chew bubble gum,” arguing the village must present residents a vision for the structure along with facts on what can actually be supported.
“We also cannot be truthful or honest with village residents without being able to present a vision that could be possible or supported by the village in that building,” he said. “There needs to be leadership, and the leadership needs to come from the board at this point in time.”
Cook has lobbied previously to turn the facility into a community or youth center, but also noted that lawmakers must also be willing to spend money if they ultimately decide to raze the structure moving forward.
“The other thing we need to think about is no matter what we do, this board will have to make a decision to expend money,” he said. “That money is going to either be to expend for its demolition or for its restoration, not necessarily as a historic building, but at least making it have some sense of occupancy.”