An old house at 501 Main will be torn down this year following action taken last night by the Trenton City Council.
It will be one of six structures to be demolished by the Red Rock Company from Kidder. The Forefront Environmental Company was selected for asbestos abatement involving those structures. The city council had budgeted $20,000 for demolitions and removal of asbestos.
Five locations had already been committed to the 2016-17 demolition program cost-sharing program. The city of Trenton is responsible for just over $9,700. Owners of the five demolition locations were collectively paying $10,000 as their share.
The building board left it to the City Council to decide whether to spend $10,775 to have one other structure removed. That’s 501 Main, owned by the Dorothy Roberts estate. To do so would have the council exceed the previously-allocated $20,000 limit by $514 dollars. The council voted unanimously to include this property: describing 501 Main as an “eyesore” for visitors from the west entering Trenton.
Other locations to be demolished are 843 West 14th Court (owned by Bryan Babb); 1314 Tindall Avenue (owned by Andy Gannon); 1904 Lulu (owned by David Robinson); 1105 Wiggins, (owned by Sherry Briegel); and 506 East 8th Court, (owned by Larry and Cheri Porter).
Demolition and asbestos removal bids were obtained on four other properties, including a business building. But those will have to wait on future funding being available. Council members have held several budget meetings. Houses on the holdover list are at 507 Main, 702 East 5th, and 915 Kumler.
The list also includes a business building at 1701 Lulu. This location is now owned by the city as it acquired the property in anticipation of replacement of the nearby 17th street bridge. Bids to demolish this structure, and abate the asbestos, top $13,000.
The council decided to table any action regarding 1701 Lulu until after the sales tax vote on the April 4th election ballot at Trenton.
The city council accepted an administrative order of consent with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources stemming from an inspection last March that revealed asbestos was removed from a ceiling at 1901 Chestnut. Friable ceiling texture is a regulated asbestos containing material. The notice of violation, issued to Trenton last April, stated the material was removed without proper procedure. The city and the homeowner were responsible on a cost-sharing basis for the demolition. The agreement with DNR says a four thousand dollar penalty will be suspended unless this re-occurs.
Among other action items, the council accepted Mayor Nick McHargue’s re-appointment of Rex Stuart to the police personnel board. TMU’s old sludge truck will be sold by the sewer department to Dawson Ag Center of Illinois for $28,800. It was the highest of three bids.
Police Chief Tommy Wright was asked to contact Smithfield of Princeton to see if it would reimburse expenses for a police officer to conduct an active shooter drill. Mayor McHargue apologized for his previous stance in opposing payment of annual dues to the Trenton chamber of commerce.
