Hardly stately but endearing. Built 1919 as a schoolhouse for first-graders to sixth-graders, many still with fond memories. Now the Homer townhall. Image: Steve Lunde
Town Board wants to raze it, build anew
HOMER, Minn. – Townspeople claim the Township Board has proceeded under the radar with a plan to tear down a 103-year-old building where many went to school years ago. They rallied last week to save the school and have been gathering signatures since on a protest petition. In response, Board members noted that they post their agenda at the Townhall, which now occupies the old school, but nobody drops by to look. For 14 months the Board agenda has included a new townhall, but no residents showed up at monthly meetings to challenge the project. In an interview township Treasurer Kim Skappel said the current building has accessibility issues. A new building, Skappel said. would increase space for meetings and elections, improve handicap access, and comply with current building codes. So will the schoolhouse-cum-townhall survive? Stay tuned.
Verbatim
Jim Driscoll, townsperson: “It’s a part of history that can’t be replaced. We call this irreplaceable. This is just a wonderful place. You know kids went here first through six grade”
Verbatim
Jeanne Nelson, townsperson: “We know we have not attended meetings as often as we should. But the problem is that we don’t have a website for Homer Township that makes it easily available for everyone to see when the meetings are, what the agenda will be, and who we can contact.”