KINGWOOD — Kingwood Council is moving forward on removing two buildings from Price Street and getting a third repaired.
Council signed a $24,908 contract with Diggers Construction to take down 146 S. Price St. Because the town doesn’t yet have signed agreements with all the neighboring property owners, the company was given an extension to Jan. 2 to complete the work.
Council also voted unanimously to refer the former Sweet Annie’s building on Price Street to the enforcement committee, to begin condemnation proceedings. The building appears to be leaning to the left, and through the store windows, it looks like the floor has collapsed.
City Clerk Mary Howell said the building is listed as owned by Dunn-Evick Buildings, LLC. The firm’s attorney contacted the town and said it was sold for taxes at auction. Lipscomb said that the state owns the tax lien, not the building. The mayor promised to report back at the next council meeting.
Council is also working with the owner of the Herring Building, at the corner of Main and Price. Howell said that, per council’s instructions, a letter was sent to the owner, saying that repairs done to the top were insufficient to make it safe, in the town’s opinion.
Council has asked the owners, B&L Properties Inc., to attend its Dec. 11 meeting. Council has been working for more than a year to get the problem of stone falling from the building corrected.
In another building related matter, council declined to give Carol Jackson a hardship exemption to the vacant building ordinance. She said that her family uses a vacant house on an adjacent lot for storage and cannot afford the $400 annual fee.
The ordinance was implemented last year, and no fee was charged the first year. Councilman Mike Lipscomb said the ordinance does not have provisions for a hardship exemption. It does give the mayor authority to issue a 90-day reprieve while a structure is hooked to utilities or repaired so it doesn’t meet the definition of vacant.
Mayor Jean Guillot said he would not grant the extension over council’s objections. Recorder Bill Robertson noted utilities had been off since 2005. He and other council members noted the home is covered with vines and overgrown.
Only Councilman Dick Shaffer spoke out for the exemption, saying he understands what it is to be without money. He and Councilman Joe Seese voted to give the exemption, which was refused.
Also at the meeting, council approved a one-time pay adjustment of $250 for full-time employees and $100 for permanent part-time employees, during December.
