CHARLEMONT — The Board of Health may be forced to shut down the Oxbow Resort, the split property offering traditional motel rooms and longer-term month-to-month apartments for rent, if the owner is unable to make upgrades that give tenants reliable access to heat and a kitchen soon.

The Board of Health plans to meet in early February to discuss the business’ plans and review the results of the building inspection, which is expected to occur next week.

The Oxbow Resort at 1741 Route 2 sat empty for more than a decade until it was purchased by Travis DeCere, a real estate agent from Cape Coral, Florida, on Sept. 30 for $500,000 under Shelburne Equity LLC. DeCere’s goal was to renovate and revitalize the property, which first opened as a motel in 1953, and convert it to include a mix of traditional motel rooms and apartments. However, repairs are moving slowly, leading the Board of Health to raise concerns about the tenants’ living conditions.

“What we’re asking for is time,” DeCere said during a meeting with the Charlemont Board of Health on Tuesday.

DeCere told the board that he and his contractors have made good progress — chipped paint has been replaced with a fresh coat, loose door handles have been secured and sealed, the water supply has been activated and the septic tank is set to be repaired in the coming weeks.

Additional repairs needed include upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system and installing energy-efficient mini-splits in each unit, as the oil-based heat system on the property is not functional, and renovating the former innkeeper’s apartment to serve as a common space for tenants so they have access to a kitchen. The apartment units are former motel rooms without full kitchens.

Currently, the units at the Oxbow Resort are being kept warm with space heaters, DeCere said. Contractors are prepared to install the new system as soon as upgrades are completed so the grid can handle increased electrical use from the new heaters.

“We do feel that it’s a solid interim plan for the property,” DeCere said. “We’ve worked really hard to try to work quickly to meet the expectations and needs that are required to maintain a safe operating environment there.”

DeCere asked the board to give him 90 days to continue repairs and determine how long it will take for National Grid to upgrade the power system. Early conversations with National Grid indicated it could take as long as a year to complete the upgrades, but the company may be able to prioritize the project and complete it sooner.

However, board members and health agents with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) were concerned with the timeline and how long tenants would be relying on space heaters.

“It’s a little scary in my opinion,” said Charlemont Emergency Management Director Dennis Annear, who also serves as fire chief.

“I’m not comfortable with them either, I would like to see them gone,” DeCere said of the space heaters. “This is just the reality of us needing to provide a warm, safe space for individuals on the property, and we’re moving in that direction as quickly as we can.”

Ben and Felicia Arial live on the property, and said DeCere has been a good landlord who began to make repairs as soon as he was made aware that something was broken. The couple added that if the Oxbow Resort was forced to close until repairs could be made, they would have nowhere to go.

“Without this place, we would be living in our Buick,” Felicia Arial said. “He’s doing everything and anything he can to fix this place up, and I really think you guys should give him the 90 days because without him we’d have nothing.”

Board members and health agents expressed concerns with the current conditions of the property, as well as the lack of an inspection status. The Oxbow Resort does not have a certificate of inspection that would outline the conditions of the building and determine whether it would be considered a motel, residence or some sort of hybrid option. According to Charlemont’s town website, the town receives its building, electrical and plumbing inspection services through FRCOG.

“As you stand right now, you are operating as a residence and you do not meet the minimum standards for occupancy of the building as a residence, as far as I can tell,” Board of Health Co-Chair Robert Lingle said.

Randy Crochier, Health District Program manager with FRCOG, said the occupants of the property seem pleased with their living environment and that DeCere has clearly been putting effort into getting the property into a good condition, but it does not meet housing code standards. Space heaters are not considered a heating system under code, and the building inspector needs to review the proposed communal kitchen and determine if it is adequate.

“Under the housing code, it could have been an emergency condemnation the first day we were on site,” Crochier said. “I’m not comfortable with 90 days to know how much time we need.”

The board told DeCere to schedule an appointment with the building inspector next week and get a certificate of inspection, after which the board will review the building’s needs and DeCere’s plan for addressing its concerns.

The next meeting has not been scheduled yet, but board members said they would like to reconvene in early February to discuss if DeCere will be able to continue operating or if a housing order is needed per Massachusetts housing code regulations.

“I’m sensitive to the people that are living there,” Board of Health Co-Chair Doug Telling said, “but I have to make my decision based on the code.”

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.