Commissioners Unsure on what to do with Bighill Store

There has been much discussion with regards on what to do with the Bighill Furniture Store in Fairfax. Three firms have submitted bids to tear down and dispose of the building, but there is also hope that filmmakers for, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” might come in and refurbish the building. Joe and Carol Conner also say they have found citizens who are willing to help restore the building.


The balancing act that the Board of Osage County Commissioners face is that there is a retaining wall currently holding the building up. That retaining wall is only made to last for a few more weeks before it becomes structurally unsafe and the building could fall.


If the commissioners choose to tear the building down with one of the three firms that submitted a bid, they only have another two weeks to choose one of those firms before those bids become non void. Carol Conner said she doesn't expect to get any further information within the next month. District Three Commissioner Darren McKinney expressed his concern if the county were to get any bad weather this winter.


The commissioners took no action on the agenda item, but the bids will expire on Thursday, December 19th. If they haven't yet made a choice by then, the commissioners would have to go out for bid a second time and possibly see higher prices.