By the end of the week, the Town of Flora expects to own the former Brethren Home property at the west edge of Flora. Council president Josh Ayres and clerk-treasurer Joretta Tinsman will represent the town at the closing, to be held in Indianapolis.

The property has been under court-ordered receivership by GB Management.

The town made the decision to try and purchase the old Brethren Home at a council meeting in December 2004.

"The main reason the town pursued the purchase is to create jobs and retain a large utility customer," said Tinsman. "When BHC closed in 2000, we were billing them for $8,400 worth of utilities (electric, water and sewage) a month."

The town had expected to close on the deal in December 2005, but a lien holder filed an objection to the price the town offered. A judge ruled late last month that the town's offer of $55,000 was viable and he ordered that the sale be approved.

Town officials have been working with attorney Mike Oyler of Louisville, Ky., and Tim DeBruicker, owner of a nursing home management company that is interested in reopening the facility as a healthcare center. Both Oyler and DeBruicker spent all or part of their growing up years in Flora.

Tinsman said that Indiana declared a moratorium on Medicaid beds last December. The next hurdle will be to find out if the facility falls under the grandfather clause because it was previously a healthcare center.

According to Tinsman, prior to the sale the property underwent two environmental studies. Phase I was paid by the town and Phase II was paid by a Brownfield grant. The studies revealed that no lead-based paint was found; there was no asbestos except in some floor tile; a buried tank needs to be removed (the town is applying for a petroleum remediation grant to pay for it); and there is mold, which will need to be removed.

The facility, a concrete block building, has been determined to be structurally sound, she added.

Tinsman said if the Indiana Department of Health will not allow the facility to be reopened as a healthcare center, then the town may pursue remodeling the facility for a new fire station.