The Village of Waterville will take ownership of a condemned house on Route 315 to allow for access to the creek behind it.
At last week’s Village Board meeting Village Attorney Stephanie DiGeorgia said this might be a solution to allow the village access to the creek without going on private property.
The owner of the house has offered the property to the village, she said.
The house on Buell Avenue needs to be demolished; if the village takes ownership it would pay for the demolition.
In return the village would own the lot.
Mayor Gene Ostrander said if the village takes it over, it prevents someone else from buying the property and letting the house sit there without taking it down.
The solution would also solve the matter of the village having access to the creek to work on it.
The homeowner refused access, which limited some of the work this summer on mitigating flooding.
DPW Superintendent Jamie Bechy said the old dam remains, because of lack of access.
If the village takes the property the dam can be taken out to reduce flooding hazards.
Cost of the demolition was estimated around $100,000.
While the Board approved taking ownership, the details have to be worked out with the homeowner.
In other matters, the Village Board - which also serves as the Planning Board - had a Public Hearing on rezoning a parcel on Madison Street.
The change would allow for a one- family house to be built on the site.
The Board will vote at their next meeting Sept. 23 and said they will likely approve it.
Budget transfers totaling $5,854 were approved to cover costs of repairing the heating system at Village Hall.
Approval was given for Village Justice Robert McNamara to apply for a grant of up to $2,500 to buy tables for the court room.
Bechy said the old garbage truck and 50 chairs did not generate sufficient bids on Auctions International.
He will call other municipalities about the truck and the chairs will be put on Facebook Marketplace.
Bechy said the state Department of Transportation wants to redo Stafford Avenue; to what extent, he said, it not known.
The work could include replacing lead and copper pipes in the water system if the state does a full reconstruction, Bechy said.
In his report, Waterville Fire Chief Jarrod Waufle thanked those who helped with the escort for former Chief Bob Winfield.
In August the department handled 27 calls, with 11 of them medical.
Codes Officer Whitey Brown said he issued six building permits in August.
Village Clerk Gayle Barnes said 11 applications were received for the latest Community Housing grant.
Eight so far have been found eligible for the funding.
Two of them are rental ...
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