Lots of Discussion at Special Conesville Meeting on Couchman House

The Conesville Town Board held a special Friday night meeting to discuss issues surrounding the town-owned Couchman House. Photo by Chris English.

CONESVILLE — Issues surrounding an old historical house owned by the Town of Conesville generated much discussion at a special town board meeting that attracted a standing-room only crowd on Friday night, May 1.

Conesville purchased the Couchman House, originally constructed in 1872, in 2022. It's located just a few hundred feet from the current Town Hall on State Route 990V, and the rough plan has been to renovate the Couchman House and make it the new home for Town operations and Town Court, and also have space there for the Conesville Historical Society.

Friday's special meeting was held to get feedback on whether that should still be the direction or not, and how to proceed from here. Town Supervisor Bill Federice said he would like a decision from the board in the next 30 days, and the topic could be discussed again at the town board's next regular meeting on Tuesday, May 12.

Adding to the mix of issues was a Town Court session recently held at the Couchman House by Town Justice Jamie Durkin without a Certificate of Occupancy. The court had obtained a JCAP (New York Justice Court Assistance Program) grant for renovations at the house and there's a "Conesville Town Court" sign already on the front of the Couchman House.

Federice said the town itself has spent about 90 percent of the $60,000 to $70,000 it had in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) money on work at the Couchman House but so far has been unable to obtain other grants for renovations there, which has led to some talk in the community about whether the town should just cut its losses and sell the house. Federice said he doesn't favor that option.

"I would like to keep Couchman and increase spending on it," he said at Friday's special meeting.

"We've invested a lot into that building," added resident Peter Barrett. "In no way, shape or form do I think we should just cut and run."

Resident Mary Rouleau suggested forming a committee including town board members and Historical Society members to help chart a course for the Couchman House.

"There needs to be a strong plan clearly delineating how the Historical Society would use it," she said. "There is also structural integrity and a lot of weight bearing issues for that basement, and we have to be concerned with things like lead paint and asbestos."

Resident Wayne Dewell added "My suggestion would be to build time into that plan and have a clear understanding of an ongoing operational plan. Is there a budget for this? How will it all  be funded?"

Conesville Historical Society President and Town Historian Kim Young spoke at several points during the Friday special meeting.

"There needs to be a legally binding document that provides us (Historical Society) with dedicated space," she said. "We got $42,000 from (Nick) Juried for purposes of preserving history. We want to make sure we hold true to the Juried funding and hold true to history. We have an opportunity to do something wonderful. We need to be given space for exhibits. We want to showcase history."

Young continued "This building (current Town Hall) would make a beautiful museum. It would be much more feasible for a museum than the sunroom at the Couchman House. There are worries about handicapped accessibility at Couchman."

The suggestion has been made of selling the current Town Hall to generate revenue to renovate the Couchman House. The town board has so far not gone that way but Councilman Bill Amend said perhaps that should be reconsidered.

"The common denominator is money," he said. "Right now, this building (current Town Hall) is working. Maybe sell the old highway garage and take the money and make Town Hall at Couchman along with the Historical Society, and the town could eventually sell this place (Town Hall) and then we would have the money to do what we need to do. The money has to come from somewhere."

Young suggested a somewhat gradual approach to Couchman House renovations.

"It's not going to happen overnight," she said. "Get the court open and then take it room by room after that. Slow and steady and well intentioned."

Town Code Enforcement Officer Rob Giordano said getting court opened properly and legally would certainly not be an insurmountable problem.

"We can make it work so the courthouse can be used and it's safe for the public to use," he said. "Yes, we can do a temporary CO (Certificate of Occupancy) and make that happen."

Giordano pointed out at different spots during Friday's meeting that one problem has been having no detailed master plan for the Couchman House.

"The meeting room at Couchman is smaller than this building (current Town Hall)," he said. "Even if fully renovated, would it serve the purpose of the town?"

Federice said the town is trying to deal with Couchman-related issues at a time it's also facing ever rising expenses in so many areas, many generated by state mandates.