Eldred Township is looking for ideas from residents on what it should do with the Smale house. The house is located near the Old Stone Arch Bridge and the Kunkletown General Store.

About six years ago, the house was purchased by the township for $50,000. In 2022, members of the township’s Parks and Recreation Committee proposed a plan for a park at that location, but didn’t go into uses of the house.

Since then, the township has been notified it would be awarded a $750,975 local share account grant from the state and a $92,600 LSA grant from Monroe County, both to be used for the renovation of the Old Stone Arch Bridge.

The township is also pursuing grants to renovate the existing park next to the Kunkletown Community Center. Now, the supervisors are looking for ideas for the house.

Gary Hoffman, the chairman of the supervisors, said at the Nov. 18 meeting that he anticipates the house will need upgrades to the electrical system, heating, water and sewer. The township doesn’t know how much it would cost to fix it, and said the house could be demolished and the property redesigned solely for a park.

“We really don’t know what the status of the sewer system there is at all,” Hoffman said. “Sustainment costs are going to be a problem in the future.”

“There is some updated electric,” said Jonathan Gula, the Public Works Department supervisor. “Most of it is knob and tube, so there’s no grounds.”

Donna Deihl, who is the manager of the Eldred Township Community Center Thrift Store, said it also needs new windows, new siding or a new paint job, which could cost about $22,000.

There was some discussion in the room about the cost to fix everything, and someone asked the supervisors if they have any plans for it if it is fixed.

Supervisor Scott Clark said he thought that was a great question.

“There are no plans to do anything with it. Are there some future things we could do? That’s what we want to hear from people. What are your thoughts on if we were to keep it or take it down,” he said.

Another resident suggested renting it out to someone to use as a small business. Township solicitor Michael Gaul said the township would probably have to rent it for something that would be a public use, such as to a nonprofit organization.

Hoffman said the township had considered having the historical society headquartered in the house, but the society has a location that is being fixing up.

Resident Doug Borger suggested selling it. “Then it goes back into our tax revenue or whoever buys it will pay taxes on it,” he said. “Right now, it’s tax exempt.”

Mary Ann Clausen, a resident and former supervisor, said the township bought it for the purpose of using it.

“The township bought the property six years ago in order to have this space in this unique spot in Kunkletown, which has the pub, has the historic post office, has Rachel’s, has access to the rail trail and the bridge,” she said.

“The property has a couple of value issues,” said Ann Velopolcek, the township secretary. “The house is no longer being used as a residence. It’s more than three years, so the use is abandoned. In order to establish another use, you’d have to bring the building up to code. Second, there’s no parking on that property other than that little parking pad.”

She said it is too small to be used for a business.

“They never had a highway occupancy permit from PennDOT, so essentially there is no parking associated with that property,” Velopolcek said.

The parking in that location is next to the general store.

“If the township were going to use it for any use, again, it would be face those same issues,” Velopolcek said.

As far as the rumor of mold, Velopolcek said she and Gula have been in the house, and there is a dry spot of discoloration, but she didn’t see any mold.

Hoffman said, “I think selling the house would be detrimental to what the vision was of the town square.”

After the meeting, Clark said he can see “the pros and cons to either side. We just want to hear some feedback from people as to what their thoughts are.”

Supervisor Susan McGinty said she thinks the house blocks the view of the Old Stone Arch Bridge, and if it were gone, then a nice sign welcoming people to Kunkletown could be placed there.

“It would open the area up for some more parking for the businesses that are in Kunkletown and the people that visit area specifically. We want to hear from everybody,” she said.

Residents are encouraged to put their thoughts on paper and submit them to the supervisors before their next meeting on Dec. 18. Emails to the office can be sent to a.velopolcek@eldredtwp.org.