WOODRUFF, Wis. (WSAU) — An expensive mistake has the future of a northwoods senior center in question.
The Lakeland Senior Center in Woodruff was destroyed May 6th by fire, but replacing it won’t be easy. Lakeland Retirement Foundation President Brian Nerdahl told WAOW television the building’s insurance coverage had lapsed. “Our executive director was contacted from West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, stating that our policy had lapsed, and it was just a devastating news to me. It just took my breath away.”
He says some insurance premiums weren’t paid in full, calling it an administrative error. Nerdahl says Director Holly Schwartz was waiting for a bill before making any payment, but West Bend Mutual Insurance says the bills were all mailed.
Director Schwartz has been fired.
Interim Director Tracie Portz is setting up a temporary headquarters at Woodruff’s Hiawatha Mobile Home Estates, where they are working by cellphones until the main phone service is installed.
They still plan to rebuild, but it’s unknown when and how that will happen now. Nerdahl says center leaders will take input from the community and then begin raising money.
The first step is demolishing the burned building. Nerdahl says much of the work is being donated, and they’ll only be paying about a third of the demolition costs.
