SIDNEY – The Shelby County Land Reutilization Corp. anticipates having two more properties demolished by the end of the month.
Director Doug Ahlers reported during the Land Bank’s March 3 meeting that the group has acquired 81 properties, demolished 69 of them and sold 10.
Work was scheduled to begin March 4 on demolishing 429 E. Main St. in Port Jefferson. Huelskamp Drainage and Excavation was selected as the contractor for the demolition.
Demolition at 716 E. Court St. in Sidney is scheduled to begin after March 16. First Choice Excavation & Demolition was selected to demolish the property, which was acquired this past month by the Land Bank.
“We are going to let them keep the vegetation on the side of the hill because if we take that out it will just create a mud pile onto the street,” Ahlers said of the property along Court Street.
The Land Bank recently transferred the deed for a property in Lockington to the Ohio History Connection.
There are seven properties the Land Bank has sent to the prosecutor for foreclosure.
A property owned by Nicole Trudell at 751 state Route 589 in Maplewood would be sold following foreclosure.
A property on North Main Street in Jackson Center that is owned by Timothy Bell would be transferred to the village. It is located next to a lot where the village keeps its utility vehicles.
A property in Plattsville owned by Viola Ralston would be transferred to the Green Township trustees. The trustees have a parcel directly next to it and already mow the area.
A property owned by Gary Waters at 326 W. Park St. in Sidney and a property owned by Richard Dulaney at 16999 County Road 25A in Botkins would be sold through sheriff’s sales.
There is an interested buyer for a property at 406 N. Miami Ave. in Sidney that is owned by Larry Doak.
A property that is owned by Dickie King at 310 Enterprise Ave. in Sidney would be demolished.
There’s no more Neighborhood Initiative Project money for demolition reimbursement, Ahlers said, but he’ll continue looking for properties that could interest the Land Bank.
“We’re going to look in the next days here and come up with some more that we can put into foreclosure for demolition purposes since we’ve got demolition money,” he said.
Treasurer John Coffield reported the Land Bank has a balance of $434,095.13 after $30,229.87 in expenses this past month. The biggest expense was associated with the property at 227-231 S. Miami Ave. in Sidney, which included almost $7,000 in asbestos removal and more than $16,000 in demolition expenses.
Ahlers also reported the Land Bank has continued its mowing contract with Tom’s Lawn & Landscape for another year. The Land Bank has 36 lots to mow in Sidney.
The Shelby County Land Bank has hired Carol Riggle, a certified public accountant from Tipp City, to prepare an annual report that will be sent to the state. She specializes in the work, Ahlers said, and prepared the same report last year.
The Land Bank’s next meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 7 in the County Annex.
