Trenton City Council, acting on a recommendation from the Building Board, selected Red Rock of Kidder for the next round of housing demolitions.
Derrick Fee submitted the only bid to tear down as many as 16 structures at Trenton. Next, it will be up to the property owners if they wish to pursue demolition on a cost-share basis with the city. Twenty thousand dollars has been budgeted by the city with the city providing $1,750 per location with the property owner paying the remaining costs. That means just 11 structures can be torn down this year if you multiply $1,750 time eleven.
Building Inspector Donnie Vandevender says letters will be sent to 13 owners advising each of the selection of Red Rock and the demolition quote for their property. Three optional structures have no owner commitment to cost-sharing and could be taken down at the full expense of the city if sufficient funds remain.
Once letters from the city are sent, owners will have ten days to reply, then 30 days to make a financial payment. It was felt the city should accept the housing demolition payments on a first come, first serve basis up to the 11. Individual demolition quotes range from $11,000 for 1314 Merrill down to $4,250 dollars at 717 West 15th Street.
Vandevender explained a primary reason the demolition costs this time are higher per structure is the new requirement to take out the foundation.
Three members of the building and nuisance board last night verbally announced their resignations. They are Chairman Stan Lowrey, Vice Chairman Tom Klinginsmith, and member Dave Milhalovich. Later in the evening, during the City Council meeting, Mayor Nick McHargue appointed, with council consent, Larry Bailey of Trenton to the building and nuisance board to fill a vacancy. There are seats for seven persons to serve on this board.
Mayor McHargue, in one other appointment with council approval, selected Mike Hooker of Trenton to serve on the police personnel board.
The building and nuisance board, prior to the resignations, took action on 20 properties of concern. One at 1721 Lulu Street was advance to having a certificate of a dangerous building. Seven others advanced to public hearing or findings of fact. Another seven locations received extensions for work to be done. Four others were added to a declaration of a nuisance with one property was abated at the meeting Monday night.
The newest ones of concern are 802 Grant, 813 Olive, 912 Grant, & 1609 Bolser.
Moving to public hearings are 412 East 10th Street; 1312 Gilmore; 1415 Lulu and 2002 Chicago. Advancing to findings of fact are 305 East 10th Street; 400 Washington; and 503 West 12th Street. A 30-day extension was granted to 1103 East 17th after pictures of what’s been done were shown by Owner John Woodland. Sixty-day extensions were issued to 409 East 19th Street; 510 West Crowder Road; 511 East 9th Court; 3726 East 28th Street; and 1715 Lulu. A 90-day extension was given to clean up property at 1409 Lulu Street.
Vandevender presented an update on repairs to be made at 509 Jackson which was ruled in April as a dangerous building. Abated was a storage building at 1103 East 13th Court.
