Old hospital back on the chopping block

Date change: The first Osceola City Council meeting in September will be held one day later than normal, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Plans for the end of the former Harken Hospital are progressing. At the Aug. 19 meeting of the Osceola City Council, council approved 5-0 for city staff to secure funding for the abatement and demolition of 216 S. Fillmore St., nearly three years after the building’s fate first came to the council.

At the council’s March 2 meeting, it was reported the owner of 216 S. Fillmore St. had conveyed the physical building to the City of Osceola via quit claim deed; the rest of the parcel had been split off and sold to the Osceola Water Department. Despite frustration over how the transaction had occurred, the building remained in the city’s name.

In April council approved city staff to move forward with quotes for an asbestos survey; the results of the survey were presented at the Aug. 19 meeting.

“[The company] did identify some materials that would be required of abatement prior to any further action to be done with regards for demolition,” Osceola City Administrator Ty Wheeler said. “I think that if the next step is the clean-up... pin down how we’re going to pay for it.”

Wheeler suggested the city might have some opportunities to use unallocated grant funds that had been awarded to them but not specified for any specific project to help offset costs, and reduce the need to use tax dollars.

Quotes for asbestos abatement range from $24,000 to $35,000. The quote does not include the cost for demolition of the building, which would be bid out after the asbestos has been abated.

Councilman Tom Bahls asked if there was any legal recourse the city could pursue towards the former owner for all or some of the costs of the tear down; the previous owner plans to donate time and materials.

Wheeler explained that city attorney Mason McCoy had told him the easiest way to not proceed with ownership of the building would be to “disown the deed,” thereby returning it to the previous owner. However, by the city moving forward with abatement and demolition, that would in Wheeler’s opinion be accepting the acquisition.

“I’m in favor of tearing the damn thing down and creating… anything other than an abandoned building,” Bahls said. “That’s, in my opinion, a complete misuse of public dollars and it’s a travesty,” Bahls said.

Osceola Mayor Thomas Kedley agreed in being unhappy with the situation, but stated it is the city’s responsibility to make the community safe from dangerous buildings. He said that by taking the previous owner to court, more time and money would be spent on a lengthy legal battle.

“I understand your frustration, councilman, you know I publicly came out on this and I’m not happy with how this went down,” Kedley said. “This is not the way you do business. But we had a tough conversation, we had a tough meeting, everyone was in the room and the compromise was to… have the city, the water department and the former owner be a part of that process to get the job done.”

Bahls clarified that he was asking if it were possible for the city to both deed the property back and still tear it down. Wheeler replied they would still have to disclaim the deed and then give notice that the building had to be torn down. If that didn’t occur, the city would proceed with demolition and assess costs onto the property. But collecting the costs after could prove tricky, and the property would go to tax sale, where it could then be bought back by another city entity.

“What I’m gathering from legal counsel [is], this isn’t going to be a productive venture to try to convey back and then file suit to tear it down,” Wheeler said.

“Assuming we take the leap, we do what’s right and keep peace on this one. That’s the best solution,” Kedley said.

The fate of the building has been an on and off again council agenda item since October 2022. Repeated attempts by community members to save the building haven’t come to fruition.