Still wishing for a permanent home: Decision on old Utica Elementary’s deed coming this week for Jacob’s Well

Clark County

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The former Utica Elementary School is being transformed into Jacob's Well, an organization seeking to help single women and mothers. File photo

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September 11, 2012

Still wishing for a permanent home: Decision on old Utica Elementary’s deed coming this week for Jacob’s Well

By JEROD CLAPP jerod.clapp@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Tue Sep 11, 2012, 07:55 AM EDT

UTICA — A decision on how a charitable organization will move forward on a deed for the old Utica Elementary School is expected this week.

The board for Jacob’s Well — a group that wants to move into the school for its women’s transitional living ministry — met Monday night to decide on a course of action on either seeking ownership or continuing the lease of the property for its House of Hope program.

The program seeks to provide temporary housing for single women with or without children to help educate and train them to be self-sufficient. According to the organization’s website, the program would last from six months to two years for each family, providing education and job opportunities while focusing on Christianity.

Kevin Williar, co-founder of the group, said the public will hear the group’s decision at a meeting Thursday night, but a time and place have not been set.

But at two Greater Clark County Schools board of trustees meetings and another held with Jacob’s Well at the old school last Tuesday, residents voiced their opposition to handing over a deed.

“We’re just trying to calm their fears about what might happen,” Williar said. “They have legitimate concerns and we are taking those seriously. As a board, we’re going to respond to those in a couple of days.”

The property was gifted to Utica Township from Greater Clark under the stipulation that it was used for park and recreation under Indiana Senate Bill 179. However, that section of the bill also allows for the property to be used for educational, literary or scientific purposes. John Durbin, township trustee, said Jacob’s Well’s purposes fit that description.

Mark Pavey, the Greater Clark board representative for Utica, said he hopes the township and Jacob’s Well can come to an agreement without the school board stepping into the mix.

“Obviously, [Jacob’s Well] invested a lot of money into the property,” Pavey said. “Whether that should have taken place before the property was lined out, that’s for the lawyers to figure out. But I think there’s some common ground to be reached if the two parties can work together and get through that.”

The group leases the building from Utica Township at $1 per year and has invested about $300,000 in renovations. Williar said the group’s board originally thought possession of the deed would help them secure grants, but after some research, isn’t sure ownership is a requirement.

“It seems to be that we’re learning more about that and that may not be 100 percent accurate,” Williar said. “We’re learning more about that and there might be other ways about that.”

Ann Graham, one of the concerned residents, said others aren’t so quick to trust the organization, especially since there’s no guarantee they won’t try to sell the property if their mission is unsuccessful or an offer comes up.

“They’re not backing off, they say they want that deed,” Graham said. “To us, something’s just not right. Strangers want a deed to our building and we just feel there’s something that we’re not seeing.”

Graham said the residents want Jacob’s Well to succeed, but the town also doesn’t want to give up a historic landmark to a group that hasn’t proven itself with the kind of work it wants to do.

“Five years from now, if they’re up and running and they’ve done good, then that’s something to come back and say ‘hey, let’s work on this deed issue,’” Graham said.

Durbin said he understands fears about what will happen to the building should Jacob’s Well have to leave. But he also said the only way the organization would get the deed is via a stipulation that the township would regain control of the property and its renovations should the organization have financial or other problems that would cause them to leave.

“They were just afraid that somehow Jacob’s Well would get a hold of the building and be able to sell it,” Durbin said. “They were afraid they were going to borrow money against it and if they failed, it would be sold.”

Durbin said he thought Monday’s meeting would result in a decision to appease both sides of the issue, which will be made public Thursday.

Williar said he has faith in God that an amicable solution can be reached and that his organization can serve out its mission at the old Utica Elementary School. But he also understands where the residents are coming from.

“We admit that, we have no track record, we’re brand new,” Williar said. “I would have the same concern if I were in the town’s place.”