Innsbrook officials announced that the USDA will not provide a loan for a new village hall after several residents criticized the project during the September trustee meeting.
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The United States Department of Agriculture is “not comfortable” with Innsbrook’s finances and will not be issuing a loan for a new village hall at this time it was reported during the Sept. 19 meeting.
USDA Rural Development estimated that the final cost for a new village administration building would be $1.455 million, which includes a $300,000 contribution from the village. This would be with an interest rate of 3.625 percent for 30 years.
The Build America Buy America Act, which the village would have to follow if it received a USDA loan, increased the cost of the project by 40 percent.
Jason Hartke and Bridgette Sansegraw told the village board during a meeting that there would need to be a change in the design or an increase in village revenue before the USDA loan could be approved.
Hartke did tell the board he believes the village could afford the project if it would get a lease/purchase from a lender and hire a general contractor to construct the building.
The meeting was attended by a large number of residents, most of whom spoke in opposition to the village hall project during the public commenting period of the meeting..
The public commenting section, which was scheduled for only 30 minutes, lasted more than 50 as residents asked for more transparency and discussion.
During the meeting, Village Board Chairman Dan Reuter said misinformation about the project had been presented and referenced a document Village Administrator and Clerk Carla Ayala sent to the Warren County Record on Sept. 8.
That included the size and the cost of the new hall.
According to that document, the new village hall will contain 3,321 square feet of finished space, two offices, and a village board room that can seat up to 84 people.
Ayala’s document also states that $45,788 was spent on the property for the new village hall.
Ayala declined to be interviewed further for this story, but did provide a copy of the meeting minutes.
As part of the discussion during the Sept. 19 meeting, Reuter said he was willing to have monthly meetings with residents to individually address their concerns.
Village officials took no further action on the new village hall during the meeting after discussing the meeting with the two USDA officials.
