April 21, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Village accepting bids for Boy Scout building

A piece of St. Joseph history will be sold.

The village board is moving forward with selling the “Boy Scout Building” located on Lincoln. The building was a former village hall and jail.

This is not the first time the board has discussed selling the property.

In 2011 the board discussed selling the building. At the time, the village subsidized the utilities at a cost of $3,000 per year.
The board decided not to sell the building after public outcry.

Eleven years later, the village board has decided now is the time to sell the building.

Village Administrator Joe Hackney said over the last 10 years the village has spent more than $80,000 on the building. Hackney said this included utilities, insurance and maintenance. This included a new roof and brickwork.

While the total sounds large, Hackney said there is actually much more than needs to be done. “This means that there are significant improvements that are needed which we have not invested in,” he said.

Hackney said the biggest expense is not the per year cost of the building, but rather the unknown potential liability that the building holds.

“The building is in need of improvements, and without proper investment, the building is a liability,” he said. “We are a very inactive owner.”

Hackney said the goal is to sell the building to someone who will put the time, energy and resources into the building so that it can continue to be a viable part of the downtown.

Hackney said another consideration is the fact that the building is used by only one community organization.

“In addition to that, the roughly $8,000 per year is a gift-in-kind to a community organization that the Village is not giving to other community organizations – there is an element of fairness which is being considered,” he said. “The Village has, and will always, value the contributions of the Boy scouts. The decision to move on from this building is in no way a negative reflection on them.”

Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges told the board during the July 12 meeting that she has had meetings with the scout leaders and the communication has been productive. She said the leaders understand why the village is moving forward with selling the building and they also understand they will be kept updated on the progress so nothing is a surprise.

The village is currently taking bids for the Boy Scout building. Bids will be accepted until Sept. 7 at noon.

Banner
Related Posts

5 Questions with Republican Caucus candidate Terri Cummings

December 2, 2024

December 2, 2024

What made you want to run?  When my husband and I moved to St Joseph 14 years ago I felt...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Nov. 9, 2021

November 9, 2021

November 9, 2021

I am here at village board. Terri Cummings, Jeff Van Buskirk are not here. Wagner is on zoom. The Hitts...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, May 9, 2023

May 9, 2023

May 9, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be. They are swearing in the board members today. #newbutold Jeff Van...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Sept. 12, 2023

September 12, 2023

September 12, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be. You can also watch on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaZTvOv74EG4Sag_LrRDdcQ Dan Davis and Jim...

Live at St. Joseph Village board, July 27

July 27, 2021

July 27, 2021

Reg Ankrom is here discussing electrical aggregation and is saying the village should take a break from aggregation for a...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, July 9, 2024

July 9, 2024

July 9, 2024

Here at village hall. They are discussing how village board wants the bills broken down more. They want to know...

Village Gardeners to kick off season Monday

April 12, 2019

April 12, 2019

On Monday, the St. Joseph Village Gardners are kicking off their 2019 season. Member Samuel Furrer said the group’s first...

St. Joseph Village Board, June 27, 2023

June 27, 2023

June 27, 2023

Special event permit for Pickleball tournament during Community Festival. Proposal is to do a tournament at the festival. Either doing...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Jan. 23, 2024

January 23, 2024

January 23, 2024

I was just a tad late and they are discussing solar. They are getting a presentation from Keystone who builds...

Is a new village hall in St. Joseph’s future?

March 29, 2022

March 29, 2022

The Village of St. Joseph is discussing selling three properties downtown. And it could come with a new use for...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Aug. 22, 2023

August 22, 2023

August 22, 2023

Ken Cooley resigned from planning and zoning and the mayor is appointing Steve Peters for that term. That term runs...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Aug. 10

August 10, 2021

August 10, 2021

I was 15 minutes late. Village board is packed. Not totally sure why but its public comment time! MY favorite...

Brush pickup to be suspended for May

April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

Brush pickup is being suspended within the village of St. Joseph. Buildings and Grounds Chairperson Roy McCarty said the village...

Live at Ogden Village Board, May 2, 2024

May 2, 2024

May 2, 2024

Dollar General is here to talk about what their new store layout will look like on the Pink Pig land....

Community members attend board meeting to support Assistant Public Works Director

May 2, 2024

May 2, 2024

On April 29, dozens of people attended a village board meeting and signed up to praise a village employee—Luke Fisher....

Comments
Leave a Reply