OOLITIC – The Town of Oolitic Hearing Officer Johnny “Bob” Dillion requested a condemnation hearing to be held to address the structural issues at the Oolitic North School building.
The hearing is expected to take place on May 24, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. Present at the meeting will be Dillion, Annette Norrick, Clerk-Treasurer, Town Attorney Greg Pittman, and Town Councilman Jon Broglin, and Tim Stark who owns the building.
The hearing will address concerns about the structural integrity of the building and the hiring of a structural engineer to see if the building is salvageable.
The building has been the subject of condemnation over the last couple of years. Town officials have been working with Stark to try and save the historic building.
At one time Indiana Landmarks was interested in helping save the building but those efforts have fallen through.
Officials say Stark has not made any attempts to address any of the structural concerns with the building.
Officials say the roof is leaking causing interior structural damage. The structural integrity of the building on the side of the alley is raising safety concerns because the outside of the building is crumbling.
The town council also is wanting the property around the building taken care of which includes the vegetation along the fence, leaf piling and other things taken care of to make the property presentable.
The building that sits between the North and South buildings and was once the band room is also a concern.
Town officials will soon need to address the existing structural issues with the old fire station and the Town Hall’s roof, which is leaking.
No action was taken Monday night on those two town’s property issues.
