SYRACUSE – Contention over pier installation proposals continues to threaten the sale of Oakwood property.
The president of Buckingham Properties, to which the sale of Oakwood Inn was approved by a Kosciusko County judge last April, indicated in a letter this month that the company is unable to continue due to “lack of support” and “determined opposition.”
“The degree of difficulty and risk associated with this endeavor has been significant from the outset,” Buckingham President Bradley Chambers wrote to court-appointed receiver Ian Rolland April 9. “Unfortunately ... the risks of the venture grew to overwhelm the likelihood of its success ... We ultimately have run out of time to resolve remaining objections of certain stakeholders.”
Rolland included the letter in an April 20 report to Kosciusko County Superior Court I.
The sale has not been formally terminated, Rolland noted in the report, but said Buckingham has indicated a “high expectation” that the agreement will be terminated Monday.
Opposition has been filed by several lakes-area organizations over a proposal from Buckingham to install eight temporary piers in front of the inn in Lake Wawasee. The proposal must be approved by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
A pre-trial conference was held at IDNR Northeast Regional Headquarters in Columbia City April 19 on the matter. Plaintiffs in the case are Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Wawasee Property Owners Association and Syracuse Lake Association, with Buckingham and IDNR being the defendants.
Buckingham attorney Terri Czajka said at that conference that parties have attempted to reach a resolution but attorneys have not, according to written reports.
No mention was made of Buckingham’s intention to proceed with or cancel the sale, said Syracuse town manager Henry DeJulia, who attended the conference.
Officials at town of Syracuse, which annexed the Oakwood property and awaits finalization of the sale to fund infrastructure repairs, were unaware of Chambers’ letter or Rolland’s latest filing, DeJulia said Wednesday.
“Things still seemed to be moving ahead” as of the April 19 hearing, he said. “If something is there, it’s something between them that’s not been shared. Generally, they’ve let us know if something is going on.”
After the annexation, Syracuse owns the infrastructure in Oakwood – the roads and water lines. He said they still have an obligation to repair and maintain them, and may have to phase in repairs if there’s not enough money to take care of everything right away.
“Everything is predicated on the sale going through. If it doesn’t, we’ll have to wait ’til it’s sold” to another interested buyer, he said.
Superior Court I has scheduled a status conference for May 18, according to Rolland’s filing. A status hearing on WACF et al vs. Buckingham et al is scheduled for June 18.
