Council members and staff discussed several dilapidated or abandoned properties during the Sept. 15 meeting, focusing on vandalism, the cost of demolition and limited funding for blight removal.

Why it matters: Long-vacant buildings can attract vandalism and increase neighborhood blight. Council members asked about funding sources for demolition and whether brownfield or other grants might be available.

Staff update: Darryl Wallach, Inspection Services Manager, said the city has secured and boarded several properties, and some costs for securing structures have gone unpaid and may be assessed to the tax rolls. He described repeated vandalism at a former packing/turkey-plant site and at a large, stoutly built abandoned building; staff have performed welding and additional boarding to keep the buildings secured but said demolition is expensive and current blight-removal funds are insufficient.

Public comment and council response: A council member asked staff to check federal or state “brownfield” funding options that might help with expensive demolition. Staff confirmed the city has used such funds in the past for other demolitions and said they will investigate availability. Council members reiterated the city’s right to assess cleanup costs to property owners and noted that some owners live out of town.

Action: Council approved an amended resolution related to demolition for a specific property (210 Ross Street) that included authorization for a 90-day delay in demolition; other demolition requests remain under staff review.

What’s next: Staff to investigate brownfield and other grant options, pursue unpaid assessments where applicable and monitor vandalism at secured sites. The council discussed the possibility of seeking additional demolition funding for exceptionally costly structures.