The Guthrie Center City Council met in regular session Monday.
Becky Benton of State Street Insurance presented the Council with the updated coverage plans through Iowa Communities Assurance Pool. The Council reviewed the plans and subsequently approved an additional $500 in property deductibles and increased coverage for the City’s automobile policies. The Council also approved a five year maintenance plan on the City’s generator.
Finally the Council took action on an extreme case of property mismanagement. Late last spring, the City notified the owner of the property at 206 South 8th St. that his house would require inspection. The inspection showed violations of several city and state codes. Shortly thereafter Charles Law, the owner of the home, contracted All Day Roofing to fix the roof, which was the source of many violations. Law paid a $4,000 deposit but the company never fixed the roof. Additionally Law offered to sell the house to an independent contractor and his family from Jefferson, who promised to repair the house and correct the violations. However, Law could not legally sell the property as he failed to correct the violations.
The Council informed Law that the contractor and his family were living in the properly illegally, as the house is uninhabitable. After an intense and lengthy period of deliberation, the Council determined that there were too many concerns with the home to salvage. The Council approved an agreement to acquire the deed to the property from Law, provided there are no liens. Law will also give the City the abstract for title search within the next 30 days and move the family occupying the house out within 72 hours.
To City Council Member Randy Nickel, safety is the top priority. “We just had a fire in Guthrie Center and two children were killed. Your obligation to us and them right now is to get those people moved out of that house… If something should happen to the children and we have knowledge of it and we did nothing, we are liable, and so are you… The buck stops here.”
The Council has officially condemned the property.