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Council views condemned properties
The Winnsboro Town Council reviewed photos and descriptions of properties in town which are in the the process of being condemned at Monday's regular monthly meeting.
Mark Whitney, public works supervisor for the city of Winnsboro, presented the council members with a list of 25 structures, most of them abandoned houses, whose owners had been sent certified letters notifying them that the condemnation process had begun.
From neglect to fire damage to broken windows, council members examined each photo and asked Whitney questions about the properties.
"Some of them are fixable, some are beyond repair," Whitney said.
Town clerk Roxie Fletcher said a second letter will be sent to the property owners giving them a date to appear before the town council to tell the city what they plan to do about the property.
If property owners choose not to act and the city has to tear down the structures and clear the lots, the owners will be billed.
Council member Betty Johnson suggested the council tour the properties after the second round of letters goes out.
Mayor Jack Hammons agreed, and said, "We would love for you (council members) to actually have a look at them."
The Rev. Enuch Davis told the council that his property on Gum Street is in the process of being refurbished and asked for time to make the repairs.
"We are already working on my church. Working on the inside, not on the outside. What I came for is more time," Davis said.
Davis said the building was never a house, but is actually one of the oldest churches in the area.
Whitney said the structure is unsafe and he doubted it be fixed, but the mayor and city attorney Tab Singer told Davis if he got a certified building contractor and a building permit, and could bring the building up to code, it would not be condemned.
The Winnsboro Community Center project moved forward at the meeting when the council unanimously approved a resolution to borrow $200,000 through the Louisiana State Bond Commission for 10 years.
"This is a resolution that will effectively get our funding flowing on this project," Hammons said.
Bonding attorney Wesley Shafto told the council the interest rate would be set by the USDA and would be around 4.25 percent.
"… the interest rate is what the USDA determines at closing. Right now the USDA rate is 4.25 percent," Shafto said.
In other council action:
• Heard the fire calls report from fire chief Truman Welch.
• Heard the police report from chief Lester Thomas.
• Accepted the financial statement.
Condemned properties
The names of the owners and the address of the condemned properties includes:
G.L. McMahon – 1609 Maple St.
Virginia Case – 1106 Havard St.
Greg Brown – 1411 Maple St.
Debra Gipson – 1401 Maple St.
Clark White – 1317 Blanson St.
Tena D. Senell Elahi – 803 8th St.
Sharon Caston – 1716 Hickory St.
B.T. Burkhalter – 1505 Polk St.
Golden Berry Jr. – 1710 Maple St.
Gladys McMahon – 901 Polk St.
Arlisha Collins – 1404 Blanson St.
Elsie Sims – 1420 Gum St.
Ronald Hall – 1424 Blanson St.
John Blackson – 1316 Blanson St.
Horace Payne – 1013 Blanson St.
Veronica Brass – 1401 Green St.
Veronica Brass – 1111 Gum St.
Uncle Fred's c/o Selch Heegan – 7209 Prairie Rd.
Freeman Addison – 806 Robinson Circle
Lillie Douglas – 2408 Cypress St.
Kraig Gwin – 1303 Ferguson Apt. A-F
Kraig Gwin – 1205 Ferguson Apt. A-C
Jerry Thomas – 2402 Roland St.
Enuch Davis – 1418 Gum St.
Uncle Fred's c/o Selch Heegan – 7189 Prairie Rd. |
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