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Resident requests extension as city moves forward with demolition bids; commission gives tentative window
Summary
A renter asked the commission for a 30-day extension to repair a porch on a house that is scheduled for demolition; staff and commissioners explained the property has title issues, bids for demolition are being accepted, and the commission said it would ask the demolition contractor to delay work until Dec. 16 if possible.
A Fort Scott resident, Joseph Lotter, asked the City Commission on Nov. 19 for a 30-day extension to repair the back porch of the house where he lives and to avoid demolition of the structure.
Lotter said he had materials on site and asked for more time to finish repairs. "If you just give me a little bit more time, I would greatly appreciate it," Lotter told the commission during public comment. He also said he is a renter and that title to the property is unclear.
Why it matters: The house is already subject to a commission decision to demolish, and staff said title problems and prior votes limited the city’s ability to halt the demolition once bids were solicited. Commissioners and staff explained the property’s title appears unresolved — the recorded owner may be deceased and the person occupying the house is not the legal owner — which complicates an owner-directed repair pathway.
City staff and commissioners said demolition bids for the property had been solicited and that some procurements below the city’s $5,000 threshold do not return to the full commission. Staff indicated that, while demolition work had been advanced, the city planned to notify the successful bidder and ask that they delay starting physical demolition work so the resident could have time to remove belongings or for the city to provide a timeline. One staff member told Lotter he could expect "at least 2 weeks, I would say. 2 to 3 weeks" before demolition would likely begin, and later the commission indicated they would tell the winning bidder to wait until Dec. 16 before starting demolition activity.
The commission also advised Lotter to provide contact information so the awarded contractor could notify him directly. Commissioners stressed they lacked authority to grant title or legal standing to someone who is not the owner; staff said only a court process or title insurance avenues could change ownership if the owner cannot be located.
Ending: Staff will provide Lotter with contact information for the awarded contractor and the commission said it would instruct the contractor that the demolition should not begin before Dec. 16 to allow time for Lotter to remove belongings or pursue options.
