It has come to my attention that the fate of the historic Mifflinburg borough building will be decided in May, and if it goes the way of a recent straw vote in committee, it will be for demolition. The building, for any who are unaware, has structural problems that must be addressed due to the removal of a weight-bearing wall sometime in the past to create a larger meeting room on the first floor.

It is my understanding that whether the building is repaired and restored, demolished and rebuilt on the same spot, or demolished and relocated to another site, the cost would be very close to the same. In addition, there are grants available for historic preservation that could be used to defray the costs of restoration, of which the council should be aware.

Mifflinburg has several historic buildings managed by nonprofit preservation groups that are presently in the process of restoration, including the Little Log House, the Gutelius House, the Weirick House and the Old Elias Church, and, of course, the one that has received much acclaim for the past 25 years, the Buggy Museum and complex.

Mifflinburg Heritage and Revitalization has recently received a large grant from the state for numerous improvements in the historic area of town, based primarily on the recognition by Harrisburg of this great grassroots push within the borough for preserving and protecting the town's heritage.

It seems to me not just a little ironic that despite the rest of Mifflinburg's focus on preservation, the borough council (those elected to set the example for the rest of the community) is set to go 180 degrees in the opposite direction in considering demolition of one of Mifflinburg borough's most well-known historic buildings. Augmenting the irony is the fact that the planning commission is, and has been for the past several months, in the process of putting in place zoning ordinances with regard to historic structure demolition, which, it seems, would apply to this particular building.

Becky Hagenbaugh, Main Street manager, has scheduled a meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the MHRA building on the corner of Third and Chestnut streets designed to bring together those who are interested in historic preservation. Please consider attending this important meeting, or, if unable to attend, you may call her at 966-1666, or e-mail her at mhra@dejazzd.com. Especially invited are members of the Buggy Museum, Preservation Mifflinburg Inc. and the Elias Church Committee, but certainly all are welcome.

Karin Fullam,

Mifflinburg