Skip to main content

Council approves home destruction; two more are likely to follow soon

One dilapidated home in Warren will soon be demolished, and two more are likely to follow.

The Warren Town Council voted Monday, Oct. 13, to proceed with the demolition of a house at 417 Grover St.

Mark Mussman, executive director of the Huntington Countywide Department of Community Development, and Marla Stambazze, DCD staff member, asked council members on Monday to uphold the department's order of enforcement and order the demolition of the house.

The council did so on a 3-0 vote, with member Barb Trosper absent.

Council members also told Mussman and Stambazze to continue working toward condemnation of homes at 303 3rd St. and 714 Railroad St.

"They have major interior mold," Stambazze said. "The one on 3rd Street is so grown up you can't even see the house."

The town will pay for the demolition but bill those costs to the property owner. If the bill isn't paid within 30 days, a lien will be placed on the taxes, Mussman said.

Also Monday, the council awarded a contract to E&B Paving, of Huntington, to pave 15 to 16 blocks of alleys in town this fall.

E&B submitted the only bid for the project, but its price of $175,138 was well below the engineer's estimate of $300,000.

In other business:
• Council members gave their approval to a 2015 budget that has an estimated tax rate of $1.08.

That rate will decrease when the budget is finalized, Clerk-Treasurer Marilyn Morrison said. The figure is based on just 90 percent of the town's assessed value, in accordance with state guidelines, but the final tax rate will be based on the full amount of the town's assessed value.

• The town took no action on a request by AT&T to modify the contract that allows AT&T to place antennas on the town's water tanks.

AT&T is currently paying $2,300 a month and proposed reducing the monthly fee to $1,800.

• Utilities Superintendent Lee Poulson reported that a tree trimming crew has begun working on trees in Warren. Trees marked with an X or a ribbon are being taken down, he said.

• Morrison said the clerk's office will be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, Nov. 12 for training and Nov. 27 and 28 for Thanksgiving.

• The December meeting was tentatively rescheduled for Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m.