The Higgins House is officially back in the possession of the Calloway County Public Library after pressure from the fiscal court. The library board bought back the dilapidated property for $1 in a meeting Wednesday night. A tabled ordinance would have forced the library to buy the house. The library sold the adjacent property to Murray Main Street in 2012 for one-dollar. The court argued in a resolution that the transaction remained a void for “lack of a public purpose.” Board member Catherine Lanier said a cost assessment for structural repairs should take priority over a complete renovation.
“To make it not a liability... that includes not only work on the foundation, but how someone could walk into the building and it not be hazardous. Because that’s the point that it’s at right now- no one can walk into that building right now.” Lanier said.
A 2012 estimate on the cost of the repair of the foundation alone ranged between $100,000 to $150,000. The board discussed getting an updated estimate. Elkins and the board have been at odds over several issues including a proposed renovation and expansion and other budget matters.
