Concern surfaced over the weekend about the tear-down of a barn that was essential for a $2.3 million grant.
But the removal of the barn, which stood in front of the Maranatha Family Center, is above-board and legal, according to Richmondville Town Attorney J.R. Parshall.
Letters, emails and Facebook postings circulated Monday about the barn, which the state deemed an historic structure four years ago.
That's when Maranatha received the $2.3 million Restore NY grant to help build the new family center in Warnerville.
Under the conditions of the grant, Maranatha was to restore the "Dutch-type" barn, which stood in front of the new center until the weekend.
Restoring the barn "was the anchor" for receiving the grant, according to Sarah Blood, Schoharie County's economic development marketing coordinator.
The recent letters and emails point out the restoration part of the project and wonder why the barn was torn down.
The situation changed during the construction of the family center, Mr. Parshall said Monday.
According to meeting minutes from an October 15 Richmondville Town Board meeting, the barn was damaged during construction of the family center.
Maranatha owner Stella McKenna had the barn re-evaluated, and engineers determined restoration "was no longer feasible," Mr. Parshall said.
Ms. McKenna presented documentation to Empire State Development, which awards the grants, and Restore NY officials, and they determined the barn could be removed, he said.
That determination was made in the fall, Mr. Parshall said. But because the Town of Richmondville received the grant, it was possible that the town could be held liable for not fulfilling the terms of the grant, he added.
By being held liable, Richmondville might have had to repay some of the grant money.
Then, Empire State Development and Restore NY absolved the town of any liability, Mr. Parshall said.
"We have documentation that the town is no longer under any obligation, Mr. Parshall said.
Calls to Maranatha were not returned by press time.