Laketown Parks and Rec passes off responsibility of Huyser House after disagreements
LAKETOWN TWP. — The Laketown Township Parks and Recreation Commission is handing off responsibility of a historic home’s future to another board.
More:Letters in support of Huyser House have 'taken on a life of their own'
The commission voted Wednesday, March 15, to have the Laketown Township Building Authority take over the development of Huyser House and present a plan to the township's board of trustees within six months. Otherwise, the house will be demolished.
Huyser Farm House — 4188 64th St. — was built in 1939 by Manuel and Lilah Huyser. Lilah died in 1996 at age 85, and Manuel died in 1999 at age 90. Laketown Township acquired the property in 2001 for a 102-acre park that included the unoccupied, two-story, 1,559-square-foot home.
A special committee of volunteers was recently formed to look for potential uses for the house. In December 2022, that committee met and recommended the house be demolished. Safety, cost and a lack of purpose were key factors in the recommendation.
But after an influx of letters supporting continued use of the house, Parks and Recreation Board Chair Tom Shuff and Township Manager Al Meshkin voiced their discontent with the results, and said they wanted other options.
On Wednesday, the commission voted 3-2 to turn over responsibility of the house’s future to the Building Authority. Shuff, Dick Becker and Jeremy Van Hoven (who led the Huyser House committee) voted yes; Vice Chair Karen Simmons and Anne Brand voted no.
The Building Authority comprises Shuff, Meshkin, resident Bob Schaftenaar, and ex-officio members treasurer Gary Dewey and clerk Amber Davis.
“We’ll come up with a use for it, we’ll find out the cost, we’ll collect bids and prices and come back with some rock-solid information — and do it in fairly short order,” Meshkin said.
Meshkin said potential uses for the house include a facility that can be used by groups for a nominal fee, or an outdoor education center.
“This is one step in the process,” Meshkin said. “If we spend some time and effort and the township board doesn’t like our proposals, it kind of ends right there again. I’m confident in six months’ time, we can put together a pretty good plan.”
Several residents spoke during public comment Wednesday. Tara Toner spoke on behalf of herself and husband, John, pointing out the citizens committee couldn't find a viable option for the house.
“The only option this board should be considering moving forward is the recommendation that has been supported by many citizens and remove the inherent hazards that (Huyser House's) existence presents today," she said.
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Aaron Rund recommended the decision be put to a vote for Laketown Township residents.
“We don’t want to pay for a house without a use and we don’t want to pay ongoing maintenance costs on a home without a use,” Rund said.
Jim Delaney, a Laketown Township trustee, said the commission pushed the recommendation of the citizens committee “over the cliff.”
“We have trust issues with the boards here,” Delaney said. “If you don’t think there’s trust issues, just listen to the people who are speaking tonight. We have trust issues that we have to do something about. That’s as far as I’m going to go right now.”
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@sentinel-standard.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Laketown Parks and Rec passes off responsibility of Huyser House after disagreements
