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Roanoke council allows more time to decide on property

After the true owner came forward and gave up the property she owns at 193 Main St., the Roanoke Town Council allowed 30 more days to rehab the property and deem it structurally safe.

The council, which met Tuesday, Aug. 18, made the decision after hearing from Marla Stambazze of the Huntington Countywide Department of Community Development, attorney Brandon J. Almas, representing property owner Martha Slick, of Fort Wayne, and Richard Pape III, of Roanoke.

Stambazze explained that Slick had let the property fall behind on back taxes owed. Richard Pape III and his father, Richard Pape II, had wanted to purchase the building in an ensuing tax sale. However, Slick has since redeemed the property and paid the back taxes. Both Slick and the Papes received notice that the property has been redeemed.

Stambazze says an inspection of the inside of the building shows black mold, structural damage to the roof, a separating wall and also damage outside from the recent flooding in downtown Roanoke, among other issues. She told the council the DCD wants a structural engineer to evaluate the building and confirm that it is sound or it should be demolished.

Almas said on behalf of Slick, he wanted to offer a solution to the problem.

“We don’t deny that the building is in a state of disrepair,” he said. “My client has no interest in the property. She did let it go to tax sale, and frankly, redeemed it, thinking it was the right thing to do.”

Almas says Slick wants to see the property go to someone who might be able to do something with it, so she has offered to turn the property over to the Papes. He said it would take about two weeks to close the transfer.

Pape III told the council that he and his father are still interested in taking the building over and rehabbing it. He showed council members drawings of his plans, including putting a new façade on the building and a retaining wall outside to eliminate erosion.

“We will get it back to the way it’s going to look like in these renderings,” he said. “It’s something that’s an easy fix for us.”

The DCD had given a 30-day deadline to prove the building was sound, which Stambazze says would end on Aug. 24. Pape asked for an extension so the property transfer can take place and he can get inside and begin reparations.

Stambazze said if the building is demolished it is likely another one cannot be built in its place, leaving an open space at the location, because it is located in a flood plain and presents drainage problems.  However, she said the DCD would abide by the council’s wishes on the matter.

“I have no concern whatsoever what you guys do with this. I just think it would be safe for everybody if they got a structural engineer to say they can turn an interior wall into an exterior wall, and it will be safe,” she said. “We don’t want that building to come down, but we don’t want it to be unsafe, either.”

On behalf of the council, President Dave Tucker allowed a 30-day extension and told Pape to return to the council at its Sept. 15 meeting with some answers, including a report from a structural engineer.

In other business, the council unanimously voted to accept a bid of $202,343 from All Star Construction to install a new water main on Commercial Street from Fourth to Eighth streets.

Phil Hibbert of the engineering firm DLZ said construction on the project will begin sometime in September and should be completed by Dec. 15.

The council also unanimously accepted the applications for two new firefighters to be added to the Roanoke Volunteer Fire Department. Fire Chief Chad

Taylor said the two firefighters will be placed on a one-year probationary status while they undergo training.

Brandon Taylor presented his findings on purchasing a new fire truck for the department, saying it could cost the town up to $480,000 to purchase the kind of truck he says the fire department needs. He said the old truck cost $220,000.

Taylor added it would take about 10 months to build the truck and a year from the time the town takes possession of the truck until the first payment is due.
Town Clerk-Treasurer JoAnne Kirchner noted the payment amount – almost $85,000 on a 10-year loan – is much higher than the payments the town is making now, about $18,000 every six months.

“This comes out of tax-based funds, not the utility fund,” she said. “We’re going to have to give up something in the general fund – $50,000 worth of something. I don’t know what that would be.”

Chad Taylor said the difference in the cost amounted to better safety issues with a custom frame on the new truck and made a better turning radius on town streets and cul-de-sacs. Brandon Taylor added there would be more room to store additional equipment on the new truck, including rescue equipment.

He also said the fire department may be able to sell the old truck for as much as $60,000, but added that it might only fetch $10,000 as a trade-in vehicle.

The council directed Taylor to obtain more information, including a sale price, and tabled the issue.

In another matter, the council unanimously approved $7,500 to pay for center line street striping. Town Superintendent Paul Swain said painting on streets and crosswalks will begin Sunday, Aug. 30, weather permitting.

The town’s fall clean-up days will occur on Sept. 25 and 26. Notices will go out in the September utility bills.

The council also decided to hold Halloween trick-or-treat time on Oct. 31 only, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. without a postponement date in case of inclement weather.