Published: September 10, 2008 12:57 am      

City taking over site of former black Elks

FAIRMONT — All of the I’s were dotted and the T’s crossed Tuesday on the city’s deal to take over the former black Elks building site.

The once-historic structure, located on the city’s West Side at the corner of Everest Drive and Cleveland Avenue, was demolished last month to protect the right of way below it. An emergency ordinance for the city to take over the property and raze the building was approved by city council in July as a safety precaution because a section of the parapet wall atop the roof had come crashing down into the street.

Fairmont officials said the emergency ordinance had a shelf life of 60 days and was set to run up at the end of September. A unanimous council vote following a public hearing at Tuesday’s council meeting officially transferred ownership of the property to the city from the Fairmont Renaissance Authority, in turn replacing the emergency ordinance.

Now the city owns the property, and officials have said they are looking for a buyer to take it over and develop it to recoup the $72,000 demolition cost. And because the collapsing building had become a public-safety hazard and was previously owned by the a nonprofit, private organization that did not have the means to develop it or tear it down in a sufficient amount of time, this was the route the city had to take, city attorney Kevin Sansalone explained.

The former black Elks building was not the only dilapidated structure that was discussed.

Local resident Houston Richardson addressed council through a citizens’ petition with concerns that emergency rescuers could be injured fighting a fire or other emergency in one of the many ramshackle properties in various city neighborhoods. He said it could be a liability for the city, and council members agreed with his concerns.

Richardson also inquired about whether the city could punish delinquent property owners for not attending to their dilapidated structures. But, with nothing in the city code to enforce these types of penalties, officials said the only thing they can do is advocate a change in the Legislature.

Councilmen Bill Burdick and Chuck Warner also voiced concerns with dilapidated properties within the city and presented some ideas to address them.

Burdick presented an idea to create an excess tax on the transfer of real estate property to be used toward necessary demolition projects. He said he has presented this idea to local delegates in an effort to sponsor a legislative bill for it.

And Warner said he has tried to get in contact with officials from other cities that have recently sponsored demolition projects.

In other business Tuesday, council members went into an executive session for about an hour under Sections 2 and 9 of the West Virginia Open Governmental Proceedings Act, which addresses personnel issues and commercial competition.

City Manager Jim Snider said council members discussed a recent mediation session with the manufacturers and engineers and designers of the city’s faulty 5-year-old water plant.

Officials are looking at a 50.7 percent rate increase to pay for a series of long-term upgrades to the plant and climb out of a significant financial deficit that incurred because of a pair of water emergencies during the winter of 2007.

Snider said the city is seeking compensation from the two companies — Chapman Technical Group and GE Zenon Environmental — through the mediation and is also looking at alternative funding routes so the customers do not have to take on the full burden of the problems through a rate increase.

Mayor Scott Sears said he and Snider are slated to meet with finance director Eileen Layman this week to discuss the city’s financial situation.

“This is probably the worst inherited problem any council could ever take,” Sears said after thanking the council for agreeing to take some more time to look at other funding sources before introducing the rate increase.

And when council members came out of executive session, they voted to table three appointments to the city’s planning commission until an interview process can be conducted.

Officials said they have received three applications but would like to advertise the openings for a couple of weeks and conduct a formal interview process before making a final decision. Council scheduled the interviews for 6 p.m. before council’s next regular meeting on Sept. 23.

Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to submit applications before the Sept. 19 deadline.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, council members voted to make two budget amendments, authorized a public auction for several former city vehicles, and voted to take over two properties within city limits with significant storm-sewer issues. Members also adopted a resolution to establish a three-person audit committee.

E-mail Mallory Panuska at mpanuska@timeswv.com.