By Joe Slacian (The Paper)
WABASH,IN. The Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety had hearings on five different structures around the city on Thursday afternoon.
In the end, just one of the structures, a house at 494 N. Miami St., was ordered demolished. The structure is owned by Begler Properties of Pueblo, Colo.
Building Commissioner John Stephens said the vacant structure had foundation problems, holes in the roof, trash in the yard and an opened crawl space. The board also learned that the city has a lien against the property for mowing the lawn from 2008-2012, and that it has resumed mowing the lawn at the property.
Other properties that were discussed were at 421 N. Cass St., 107 Walnut St., 453 E. Main St., and 645 Washington St.
The owners of the Cass Street home, William and Vickie Tackett, told the board they plan to sign a quick claim deed to a neighbor, Armando Guerrero. Guerrero told the board that he plans to fix a hole in the roof and repair any other problems with the structure. He received 30 days to repair the roof.
Joseph Harter, owner of the Walnut Street home, told the board that he would like to deed the property over to the city. If that is done, Mayor Scott Long said, city workers could then demolish the home and save funds. The site, he added, could possibly be turned over to Habitat for Humanity, which is looking for a new location to build a home next year.
Stephens was ordered to report on the property transfer at the next board meeting.
The owners of the properties at East Main Street and Washington Street, Justin Brooks and Harold Burns, respectively, were ordered to appear before the board because they violated previous board orders to repair their properties.
Stephens reported that Brooks failed to side the west side of his home, as ordered to do last year by the board. Brooks said the west side of the house is indeed sided, however it is cement siding boards to meet fire code, and it simply needs to be painted. He was ordered to have the siding painted by the July 21 board meeting.
Stephens said that Burns had failed to meet a schedule he provided the board last year. Burns told the board that he works on the house when he can, but had two deaths in the family that has prevented him from doing so as often as he would have liked. He also said that a gentleman helping him make the repairs recently had a medical condition which prevented him from helping. He said the man is expected to be later this month and work could hopefully continue.
The board ordered Burns to report back in 90 days.
In one other structure-related matter, the board praised John Davis, owner of property on Middle Street, for the work he has done to bring the structure up to code. Stephens suggested, and the board agreed, to remove the restrictions the city placed on the Davis. However, board members warned, if the house returns to a deteriorating condition, it would again summon him to appear.
Davis said he would like to sell the home once repairs are finished. Also at the meeting, Brainard Excavating received a contract to replace a culvert on Hale Drive.
The Wabash company submitted a quote of $3,320 to replace the culvert. It was the lone quote that the city received.
Street Commissioner Scott Richardson said the work is needed to replace a deteriorating culvert.
He said he hopes the work is completed before the start of school.
For more details, see the July 13 issue of The Paper of Wabash County.