(Shenandoah) — Shenandoah officials have given owners of a nuisance property additional time to renovate the structure.
By unanimous vote Tuesday evening, the Shenandoah City Council approved a six-month extension for work at 105 North Broad Street. It’s the second six-month extension for owners David Morse and Erin Brassington, who purchased the property from a previous owner in November, 2023. Christine Charlie is Morse’s mother. Charlie says demolition work on the structure is still in progress.
“Early in the spring, when the city thought that the windows were open, and critters might be able to get in,” said Charlie, “we actually had the windows open because we had already started the demolition process. But, we have closed the windows. I just had a 20-yard dumpster with 4.4 tons of sheet rock, wood, everything that we hauled out of the house, because we gutted it. Everything is too old, and needs to be completely updated.”
After obtaining a second dumpster, Charlie says plumbing and electrical work is expected. One possible stumbling block is a water main at the location. Charlie claims a city employee broke the main’s valve. But, Shenandoah City Attorney Mahlon Sorensen says the valve wasn’t the city’s responsibility.
“We have so many of those in town,” said Sorensen, “that most cities, almost all cities, require that’s part of the functioning of the water system of the individual that owns the property. Even if it breaks, and even if it was an employee of the city that was on the twister, under the law, it’s still your responsibility.”
Charlie declined to specify a timeline for the project’s completion–saying it all depends on her son gaining additional financing. Charlie questioned why the city was targeting the property. Councilman Jon Eric Brantner says the structure was declared a nuisance long before Morse and Brassington purchased it.
“Unfortunately, you kind of caught the repercussions of potentially who you bought it from,” said Brantner. “I don’t want you to think you were targeted, based on the dates of this letter. I know when these letters go out, it’s been going on for six or nine months even before that.”
After further discussion, the council granted Charlie’s request for an additional six months. Owners must report back to the council on the project’s progress at its April 8th meeting.
In other business Tuesday night, the council…
—approved the first reading of an amendment to the city’s garbage collection ordinance, entailing a fee increase on customer’s monthly bills. Council members unanimously approved the second and third readings, and officially adopted the amendment. No spoke at a public hearing on the proposed increases.
—approved a citizen’s request for a temporary exclusion of chapter 93 of the city’s ordinances pertaining to stage 3 water restrictions.
—approved a pay application to All Purpose Construction totaling $552,718.55 for the wastewater treatment plant construction project.
—approved the final payment to MALOJA, LLC for $62,500 for renovation of the former Johnson Brothers Mill Building, now known as the Mill.
—approved the quote of Pump Works totaling $46,245.58 for pump replacement work at the Wilson Aquatics Center.
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