| The future of the Minnora School property will likely be decided Friday when the Calhoun County Building Commission meets to consider three recommendations by the Calhoun Commission.
The commission has stated they no longer want to pay the high insurance premiums or own the property.
The commission's first recommendation is to sell the property to the Calhoun County Committee on Aging for $50,000, a direct sale which is legally permitted.
A second and third recommendation was to place the property on the auction block with a minimum $50,000 bid or consider some other arrangement with the Minnora Community Center, exempting the county.
The Minnora Center Board dissolved their 99-year-lease with the county about two years ago, giving it back when they could not pay their bills.
The commissioners have said they don't want to be in a position to keep taking the property back.
Currently parts of the roof is leaking and the water system is often inoperable, and cannot be used for drinking.
The costs of upkeep, utilities and liability insurance have surged.
CCCOA Director Mike Ritchie and county commission member Rick Sampson met with about 30
Minnora community residents last night.
Ritchie said about half of those in attendance felt going with the senior center might be a good idea.
Former MCC board member Larry Cottrell told Ritchie during a meeting with the state's Senior Services, "We have the money to buy it," a position which he re-stated last night.
Ritchie told the group "It is fine if the property goes on the auction block."
"We were just looking at trying to help the community and the county and felt this was an opportunity to do both," he said.
The senior center is planning on locating a facility on another part of the property. "We've been a faithful renter of the center for four years, paying $400 a month," he said.
"If the senior center owns the property, we're going to look for renters just like you have." said Ritchie.
Kenny Bailey, president of the Minnora Community Center, said he was upset because he was not properly notified about the proposed sale, but Commissioner Rick Sampson said he advised Bailey of the commission's problem with the property the first day it was discussed.
Bailey and his wife met with Calhoun County Committee on Aging director Ritchie and his board to discuss the situation. "We discussed the issue at length," Ritchie said.
Former Minnora center board member and county commissioner Larry Cottrell said the deal was done in secret - "corrupt and underneath," saying the commission's "actions have a quality of gross disrespect."
Cottrell led a bitter fight to remove the leadership of the Minnora Center, but when his group had control, he resigned.
"It would be nice to see some kind of spirit of cooperation in the community," said commissioner Sampson. "We really feel we are making decisions about what gives the community the most opportunity during some really tough times," he said.
Ritchie said he would not take anything away from people in the greater Minnora community for the efforts they have put forth. "We've got a great bunch of seniors coming to the center." | 
