Bremen Town Council to file suit for property condemnation

BREMEN—THE property at 422 E. Maple St. has been under consideration at the town council meetings this month. at the March 14 meeting, Director of Operations, Trend Weldy asked the council for permission to appraise the property, which has been abandoned for a couple of years, to determine whether or not it needs to be condemned.

It was reportedly purchased by someone living in Boise, Idaho, sight unseen, a few weeks ago from USDA Rural Development in Indianapolis. The assumption is that the businessman, who went unnamed during the council meeting, intended to flip the home for profit, however the deed has not yet been officially recorded.

Initially, the council hoped that it could be gutted and renovated. However, after inspections from the Health Dept. and the building inspector, it will most likely have to be demolished. a letter from the Health Dept. to USDA Rural Development dated March 17 noted that the property was in disrepair, had a “rather large hole” in the floor of the bathroom, and may not be able to maintain running water. “The above-mentioned property has conditions that exist which may transmit, generate, or promote disease,” the letter reads.

although the evidence is stacking up in favor of demolition, the town waited to hear back from the county’s building commissioner. Steve Howard reported additional issues contributing to the unsanitary conditions, including the stairways missing steps, evidence of roof leaks and water damage. Howard suggested a complete interior renovation down to framing or demolition of the building. This will contribute considerable weight to the town’s decision.

Wagner advised the town to hold off filing suit for condemnation for a short time until the current owner is made aware of his options and can make an informed decision. The attorney believed the best option on the table would be to form a partnership with the current owner to demolish the house. “It might be cheaper for this guy to just pay us to do it in the end and be done with it. We can reach out to him and say, ‘Hey, you can skip the legal fees if you just pay us X amount of dollars to tear it down.”

That being said, he is aware that the property is a matter of consternation for the neighborhood and should not be put off long. “I’m not unsympathetic to his position, but he’s thousands of miles away and the neighbors are having to deal with this property and I think they’ve had to put up with it for quite a while.”

At present, Weldy believes that the litigation may take months, which will mean that the demolition may not take place until summer or later.