Borough, Williow historical foundation appear headed to court over landmark cabin

WILLOW — A standoff between the Willow Historical and Wildlife Foundation (WHWF) and the Mat-Su Borough concerning a Willow landmark will most likely be decided in the courts.

In question is a community landmark located on borough property and the borough wants it moved. The building, known by different names, is a log cabin located adjacent to the Willow Community Center and library. Its most recent use associates it with the Willow Historic Museum and Tourism Center and has sat on a borough-owned lot for the past 25 years. While a good portion of the cabin is used for storage, several community groups still utilize it for meetings.

However, borough officials feel the structure is an insurance liability. Approximately one year ago, borough community development director Eric Phillips sent a letter to the Willow Area Community Organization (WACO) alleging the cabin had been operating for the past decade without proper insurance coverage and asking it be moved by last Sept. 1.

In an Oct. 26 suit filed by borough attorney Nicholas Spiropoulos, the borough asked that the building be moved off its property and to impose a fine of up to $1,000 per day if the structure isn't moved in order to cover court costs and attorney fees. In a counterclaim, WHWF attorney Kenneth Jacobus is asking for the case to be dismissed.

A Jan. 29, 2017 routine pretrial order (RPO) shows that the cabin will most likely not go anywhere for the next year or more. Court records indicate a Jan.29, 2018 jury trial has been scheduled. Jacobus is on record telling the court he believes a settlement could be agreed to. Borough legal counsel Trina Sears told the court there are "several thousand pages" left to file in the discovery phase of the suit.

The borough cited the cabin's current location also was problematic to a planned library expansion and future parking. However, the planned approximate $4.65 million project has been placed on the back burner since the state's economic downturn. The borough also stated lack of use, structural deterioration and interior mold as issues of concerns.

Building co-founder and WHWF co-founder Jim Huston is on record stating the cabin has been insured under its policy since 2006 and in recent times, added the borough as a rider on the policy. Huston responded with a letter from the insurance company claiming the building had been covered by the WHWF’s insurance policy without interruption since 2006. He also provided letters of support from community organizations including Willow Lions Club and Willow Chamber of Commerce.

Huston helped found the WHWF when the WACO board at that time opted to sell the cabin. Huston said he feels the structure is part of the area's history and the WHWF wants to keep the building in its present location to increase historic preservation grant eligibility. Late February of last year, the borough's legal counsel sent a letter stipulating the cabin be moved by Sept. 1, 2016.

In a May 4 letter to WACO, borough officials offered to invest $200,000 from the Land management Permanent Fund , to renovate the cabin. In exchange, the borough would require WACO and the Willow Historical and Wildlife Foundation (WHWF) to sign a quitclaim deed, effectively ceding building ownership to the borough, according to the letter. When the renovations are completed, the building would revert back to WACO ownership under a borough management agreement, but WACO would not be allowed to sell or transfer the building, according to the letter.

“If this is not done, or there is any claim of ownership, then the log building will have to be moved off of Borough property, and the deadline, as stated in previous letters, is September 1, 2016,” borough Mayor Vern Halter and assembly member Randall Kowalke wrote.

Contact reporter Chris Ford at 352-2270 or chris.ford@frontiersman.com