N.A. Council Refers Problem Property to Mayor
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There was little else on the agenda for the meeting, held Wednesday because of the Veterans Day holiday on Tuesday.
The residence at 129 North St. has prompted complaints from neighbors, who appeared at a Public Safety Committee meeting last month.
Councilor Ronald Boucher said there has been some progress on the house to make it liveable and clean the yard — some windows have been installed, cars have been removed, electricity is back on — but "still a lot of construction debris everywhere."
Boucher, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said Building Inspector William Meranti had given him an update from the property Wednesday afternoon and while cellar windows were put in, they were open and "cats were running in and out."
There was concern, with the cold weather, that rodents and other creatures would make their way into the building. Plus, said Boucher, there is no timetable for completion of the project and there are questions about work done without building permits.
Letters were sent to property owner Edward Burdick on Oct. 15 giving him 30 days to comply with conditions from the Building and Health departments.
"There's no concrete plan for anything to be done by certain date and winter's coming and you don't get much done in colder weather," said Boucher.
Boucher requested the matter be referred to Mayor John Barrett III's office with the anticipation he could call a public hearing, which would allow the council to set a timeframe for work on the property. Councilor Gailanne Cariddi suggested adding the mayor "take appropriate action" to the motion to clarify what the council was requesting.
Both Boucher and Councilor Marie Harpin, also a member of the Pubic Safety Committee, said the neighbors did not want the building torn down — they just wanted it cleaned up and secured.
Boucher asked to postpone action again on an ordinance amendment relating to maintenance of vacant and foreclosed properties that's been held up for months.
"This thing seems to have go on and on forever" but is more complicated than expected, he said. Boucher's committee had been waiting on an opinion from the city's counsel, who informed him it was "very complex." The board postponed the issue until Feb. 10, 2009.
Cariddi was concerned that vacant properties would be damaged if their pipes froze during the winter and planned to check with the building department.
Councilors Richard Alcombright, Michael Bloom and Clark Billings were not in attendance.
