Wadena County Commissioners: Discuss sale options for Bell Hill property and property line issue
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Monday, December 30.
Bell Hill Property
The commissioners discussed options for the property that Bell Hill Recovery Center was using now that the center has been closed.
Building Services Supervisor Sean Uselman explained that over Christmas the boiler in Dorm C broke, and the water lines were frozen. The building was completely shut down. It is the oldest building and has not been used in some time.
Auditor/Treasurer Heather Olson is looking into the insurance coverage. The county’s liability blanket policy automatically covers the property if something were to happen, like someone getting injured. However, the group is now seeking more specific insurance coverage for the individual buildings.
People have been calling and expressing interest in purchasing the property.
Deana Malone, planning and zoning director, explained that the property has a sewage treatment system that previously served the family housing units. This system includes five large septic tanks, two of which are mostly full of water. The other three tanks are empty but have no covers. Also, two leach fields are associated with this sewage treatment system.
The board explored options for acquiring Bell Hill’s 7.5-acre parcel, which could make the remaining parcels more valuable and easier to sell. There was debate on whether to pursue this or just sell the property as-is.
The board discussed the potential development opportunities for the parcels, including the possibility of adding more housing units. However, there was hesitation about investing any county funds into the property....