Jan 04, 2024 Code Enforcement and Appeals Board

[00:00:01]

THIS IS THE JANUARY 4TH, 2024 HEARING OF THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH CODE ENFORCEMENT

[1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL / DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM]

WILL THE SECRETARY PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MEMBER POSTMA, HERE.

MEMBER FOTIADES.

MEMBER THOMPSON HERE.

MEMBER STINES HERE.

MEMBER KRESSE.

VICE CHAIR KENT.

CHAIR KAUFMAN PRESENT.

UH, WE DO NEED TO SIT IN ALL AN ALTERNATIVE.

ALTERNATES. I'M SORRY.

UH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO SEE? SO MOVED.

COMMISSION APPROVED HIM AS A MEMBER, AND THE SEAT HE FILLS IS THAT OF A VOTING MEMBER.

YEAH, PROBABLY MISS THAT TV SHOW.

OKAY, WE ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AND HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 2ND.

[3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THEM.

SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? NO, SIR. OKAY.

UM. AT LEAST IN THE SECOND CASE, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE A QUASI JUDICIAL PROCEEDING.

CITY ATTORNEY, PLEASE DESCRIBE THAT PROCEEDING.

YES. UM, TONIGHT, UM, THE QUASI JUDICIAL HEARING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE CASE INVOLVING 1426 LIME STREET. WHAT THAT MEANS IS, FIRST, MR. WELLS, THE CITY STAFF IS GOING TO PRESENT EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY TO THE RECORD.

HE'S ALREADY SUBMITTED A STAFF REPORT, PHOTOGRAPHS, COPIES OF NOTICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE ARE ALREADY IN THE RECORD, BUT HE IS ALLOWED TO TESTIFY.

AND THAT WILL ADD TO THE RECORD VERBAL TESTIMONY.

HE CAN ALSO INTRODUCE OTHER DOCUMENTS IF HE HAS THEM.

MR. WELLS WITH THE CITY CAN ALSO CALL WITNESSES.

I DON'T BELIEVE HE HAS ANY TONIGHT, BUT HE COULD CALL WITNESSES IF HE WISHED.

THEN THE PROPERTY OWNER OR RESPONDENT, KAREN MOORE AND OR LAWRENCE CONRAD, WOULD COME TO THE PODIUM AND THEY COULD, AS RESPONDENTS, PROVIDE EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY INTO THE RECORD, THEY CAN INTRODUCE DOCUMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND ORAL TESTIMONY.

AND AFTER THAT, IF THERE ARE ANY AFFECTED PARTIES THAT WISH TO SPEAK AND PARTICIPATE IN THE HEARING, JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF BY GOING TO THE PODIUM.

STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YOU HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY IN ORDER TO BE AN AFFECTED PARTY AND PRESENT EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY.

UM, ALL OF THE PARTIES WHICH INCLUDE THE PARTIES INCLUDE THE CITY AND THE PROPERTY OWNER OR RESPONDENT, AND AFFECTED PARTIES CAN ALL CALL WITNESSES AND ASK EACH OF THE PARTIES AND WITNESSES QUESTIONS.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY CAN CROSS EXAMINE EACH OTHER AND EACH OTHER'S WITNESSES.

AFTER THE HEARING IS CLOSED, THE BOARD WILL DELIBERATE AND DECIDE AT THAT TIME THE BOARD CAN THE BOARD CHAIR CAN REOPEN THE HEARING, AND BOARD MEMBERS CAN ASK QUESTIONS OF ANY OF THE PARTIES, UM, OR ANYBODY PROVIDING EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY.

AFTER THE BOARD'S DELIBERATION, THERE SHOULD BE A MOTION.

AND ONCE THE DECISION IS MADE, IF THERE IS AN APPEAL, AFFECTED PARTIES AND THE CITY AND PROPERTY OWNER COULD APPEAL THE DECISION OF THIS BOARD TO THE CIRCUIT COURT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE BOARD'S WRITTEN FINDINGS OF FACT.

THAT'S THE CHAIR SIGNS THOSE A COUPLE DAYS AFTER.

SO WITHIN 35 DAYS OF THIS HEARING.

THAT'S THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR THE APPEAL.

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE TO BRING YOUR APPEAL.

YOU'RE OTHERWISE BARRED AFTER THAT.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THE OATH. THE OATH FOR EVERYBODY TAKES AN OATH, AND THE CHAIR WILL ASK THE RECORDING SECRETARY TO DO THAT.

OKAY. BEFORE I ASK THE RECORDING SECRETARY TO SWEAR IN ANY WITNESSES, IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAD EX-PARTE CONVERSATIONS CONCERNING EITHER OF THE TWO MATTERS BEFORE US TONIGHT.

NO. OKAY.

BOARD SECRETARY, PLEASE SWEAR IN THOSE WHO WILL TESTIFY.

[00:05:06]

IT CAN'T HURT [INAUDIBLE].

RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, PLEASE.

DO YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY AND OR EVIDENCE THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE AND OR PRESENT IS THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? YES, YES. OKAY.

THE FIRST CASE IS UNDER OLD BUSINESS.

[4.1 MAESTRE RUTH E & LORE PAUL A (JT/RS), 11 S 7TH ST., CASE 2021-0073.]

RUTH MAESTRE AND PAUL LORE.

UH, THE CITY HAS PROVIDED A MEMORANDUM WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, MR. WELLS.

GOOD EVENING. UM, GEORGE WELLS, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

UM, I BELIEVE I'VE SUBMITTED ALL THE ALL OF OUR EVIDENCE AND PICTURES AND PHOTOS INTO RECORD, BUT IF I HAVEN'T, I'LL AT THIS TIME, I WILL SUBMIT IT AND MAKE SURE IT IS IN RECORD. ANY OBJECTION? THERE BEING NONE. IT'S IN EVIDENCE.

OKAY. UM, THIS CASE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2021.

UM, THE CASE HAS BEEN THROUGH MULTIPLE, UM, BOARD HEARINGS.

IT WENT BACK, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS POSTPONED IT UNTIL APRIL THE 2ND, AND THEN IT WAS, UM, POSTPONED TO JULY 7TH, AND THEN IT WAS POSTPONED AGAIN TO OCTOBER 6TH.

AND THEN AT THE OCTOBER 6TH MEETING, YOU STATED THAT YOU WANTED THE RESPONDENTS TO RETURN TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD TODAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER ADMIN FEES OR FINES MAY BE DETERMINED OR ASSESSED AT THIS TIME.

THE ONLY THING I THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION I HAVE IS, UM, OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER.

HE WAS I THINK HE WAS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER ENGINEER AT THE TIME, WAS TASKED WITH CREATING A TIMELINE OF CONSTRUCTION EVENTS BEGINNING APRIL 4TH, 2022 TO A COMPLETION DATE OF DECEMBER 16TH OF 23 FOR THE RESPONDENTS TO ATTEMPT TO FOLLOW TO REACH AN ATTAINABLE DATE FOR COMPLETION.

THE COMPLETED DATE ON THE TIMELINE WAS DECEMBER 16TH LIKE I SAID, THE PROPERTY AS OF DECEMBER 21ST, 2023 IS STILL IN VIOLATION.

THE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT HAS BEEN SLOWED, BUT THE REPAIRS HAVE PROGRESSED CONTINUALLY WITH MULTIPLE SETBACKS ENCOUNTERING DURING THE REPAIR PROCESS.

I WOULD ASCERTAIN FROM THE RESPONDENTS WHAT TIME FRAME WOULD BE ATTAINABLE, WHICH WOULD BE AN ATTAINABLE GOAL OF COMPLETION, AND THE CITY WILL LET THE CEAB DETERMINE IF FINES ARE TO BE ASSESSED AT THIS TIME, AND ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AS OF ONE FOR TODAY IS $757.

THE RECOMMENDED FINE AMOUNT WAS $100 PER DAY PER VIOLATION.

SO, UM, I BELIEVE MR. LORE WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A PRESENTATION OF WHAT HE'S DONE OR.

MR. LORE, I ONLY BROUGHT IT IN CASE OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

THAT'S UP TO YOU. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO USE IT, I CAN SHOW THE PICTURES I GOT FROM.

NO, I WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO JUST SHOW YOUR STUFF, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SHOW MY STUFF.

WE DON'T WANT A GOOD PRESENTATION TO GO TO WASTE.

SO I THINK WHAT I JUST REALLY WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE AGAIN, IS WHEN I HEAR WHEN I HEAR THE WORDS THAT THE PROJECT IS SLOW, UM, THAT IT'S MOVING IS IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BE UNEXPECTED OF A PROJECT THIS SIZE.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMIND THE BOARD AGAIN, IF WE HAD TO GO BACK TO THE CITY RECORDS THEMSELVES.

THERE WAS AN HDC MEETING THAT WAS HELD HERE IN 2020 OF FEBRUARY, A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING, AND THE THOMPSON HOUSE WAS IDENTIFIED AS A HOUSE OF GREAT CONCERN, ONE GOING TO A DANGEROUS STRUCTURAL STATE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOME CITY OFFICIALS HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT THE HOUSE IS STRUCTURALLY DANGEROUS.

THERE WERE THREE CITY OFFICIALS THAT THAT SAID THAT.

SO I JUST NEED TO REALLY REMIND EVERYBODY.

AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING A LONG PROCESS FROM A HOME THAT WAS NEGLECTED FOR, FOR FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER CASE EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU THINK THAT YOU JUST HAVE ROTTEN WOOD ON THE OUTSIDE AND YOU'RE FINDING ROTTEN WOOD, YOU KNOW, IN THE INSIDE AND SO ON THIS PART HERE THIS WEEK WE WERE REALLY CLEANING UP, UM, THIS PIECE IN HERE TO SHAVE AND SET REALLY NICE.

BUT ALL THIS PIECE IN HERE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE RESTRUCTURED AS WELL AS AS THIS MEMBRANE RIGHT HERE IN THE

[00:10:05]

YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY SLOW IN THIS PROCESS, AS YOU ALL CAN IMAGINE, IS THAT WOOD FROM 1870 SOMETHING DOES NOT MATCH WOOD FROM 2024.

SO EVERY SINGLE PIECE IS THE WRONG THICKNESS TO MATCH ANYTHING ELSE.

RECENTLY WE ACQUIRED A BUNCH OF WOOD FROM A HOME IN OLD TOWN, AND WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO USE THAT AND START ESPECIALLY FOR THIS RECONSTRUCTION. A LOT OF THAT WOOD MATCHES PERFECTLY, SO WE CAN CUT THE NEW PIECES AND FIT THEM IN.

SO THE WOOD, YOU KNOW, THE WOOD SIZE OF THE WOOD MATCHES.

UM, AND THAT HAS BEEN A HOLDUP IN A COUPLE OF CASES WHERE WE NEEDED TO REPAIR.

BUT FINDING THE RIGHT PRODUCT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT.

AND A LOT OF THE WORKMANSHIP, YOU CAN SEE IT HERE.

THERE'S TWO SCREWS THAT ARE THAT ARE COMING OUT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WHEN WE UNCOVER SOMETHING YOU CAN SEE HERE, I'M KIND OF ZOOMING IN A LITTLE BIT.

YOU CAN SEE THE TWO SCREWS THAT ARE STICKING OUT THAT BOARD THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NAILER IN THERE IS NOT EVEN IT'S NOT EVEN FUNCTIONING, YOU KNOW, AS A NAILER.

SO IF WE WENT TO THE IF WE WENT AND FOLLOWED THE CITY'S GUIDELINES, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN AREA WHERE WE WOULD HAVE JUST SLAPPED PAINT ON AND SLAPPED WOOD OVER IT, AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE AND IT REALLY WOULD HAVE.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ROTTEN, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE ABOUT A YEAR LATER.

UM, UNDERNEATH THE HOUSE ON THE NORTH SIDE NOW WE'RE DISCOVERING, AND I'LL GET TO SOME OTHER PICTURES AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE INSIDE.

AND PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.

I KNOW YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THE INSIDE, BUT THE INSIDE DOES AFFECT, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE OUTSIDE.

UM, IT IT'S AFFECTING THE THE CLAPBOARDS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

SO WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNERS WHO NEVER TOOK CARE OF THE HOUSE AND EVADED ALL THE FINES AND EVERYTHING, THEY COMPLETELY RIPPED OUT TWO FIREPLACES AND IN DOING SO HAVE COMPLETELY DISMANTLED A PIER AND PLUS ALL THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S KIND OF HOLDING UP THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

AND THIS IS JUST A VERY SMALL, UM, EXAMPLE OF IT.

NOW, IF YOU GO ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WE HAVE ALREADY RECONSTRUCTED SEVEN PIERS ON, ON THE HOUSE. SO WE'RE IDENTIFYING NOW THAT THIS PIER HERE, UM, HAS TO HAVE AND YOU COULD START SEEING HAS TO BE RESURFACED, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE WHERE THEY WERE.

YOU SEE THE WHITE PIPE UP ABOVE.

THEY WERE INTERESTED IN PUTTING IN A BATHROOM IN THE INAPPROPRIATE SPOT, AND THEY COMPLETELY TOOK ALL THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OUT OF THAT FIRST FLOOR AND OUT OF THAT SECOND FLOOR.

SO IN HERE YOU CAN YOU CAN SEE THIS WHOLE BOTTOM.

AND I'VE BEEN COMPLETELY UNDERNEATH THIS HOUSE SEVERAL TIMES AND I'M SURE I'LL BE UNDER IT AGAIN.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THIS WHOLE BOTTOM IS OUT AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S HOLDING ON THESE JOISTS.

AND ALL THAT IS, IS SAGGING.

AND THIS SIDE OF THE HOUSE GETS REALLY A LOT OF THAT NORTHEASTERN WEATHER.

AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE WETTEST SIDE OF ALL THE SIDING THAT'S, THAT'S IN THAT HOUSE.

SO TO SLAP PAINT ON IT IS, IS IS NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER.

UM, I DID TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS FOR TWO REASONS.

YOU CAN SEE IN THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE WET THAT'S INSIDE THERE.

AND ALSO YOU CAN SEE THE THE STRUCTURAL HEADER BEAM THAT WAS DOWN HERE ON THIS FLOOR IS JUST THE PLYWOOD.

BUT WHAT RUTH AND I ARE NOTICING NOW, AS WE WERE SCRAPING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND CEILING, YOU COULD SEE ALL THE WATER DAMAGE THAT'S ON THE INSIDE THAT'S BEEN LEAKING. A LOT OF THESE ARE DETACHING FROM THE BALLOON FRAME CONSTRUCTION.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN THEY'RE NOT EVEN ON ON THE HOUSE.

UH, THIS PICTURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE IS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN ON THE BALLOON FRAMING AND ALL THAT'S HERE COVERING THE PIPE, THERE'S JUST A BIG HOLE, AND THERE'S NO STRUCTURAL BEAMS THAT ARE HOLDING THAT UP.

AND THAT IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE SIDING ON THE OUTSIDE.

HERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT WE DISCOVERED.

HOWEVER, WE'VE TRIED HARD TO COMPLY WITH YOUR REQUEST TO PAINT, TO SCRAPE AND ALL THAT.

[00:15:01]

AND IT ACTUALLY CONNECTS TO THIS OTHER IMAGE THAT I THAT I'VE GOT.

SO RIGHT NOW, RUTH AND I HAVE, UH, FIVE BOTTLE JACKS.

AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS ON RESETTING BOTH BAY WINDOWS, THE ONE THAT'S ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND THE ONE THAT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

UM, UNDERNEATH HERE IS EXACTLY.

IF YOU COULD SEE MY MOUSE CIRCLING RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS ON THAT SOUTH BAY WINDOW.

AND AFTER WE DISMANTLE THE PORCH, THIS WAS COVERED UP, DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THE HOUSE WAS SETTLING HERE FOR MYSELF.

WHEN I SHOT A LEVEL INSIDE THE HOUSE, WE OPENED IT BACK UP, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE OPENED IT BACK UP.

BUT IT'S WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE AGAIN TO TRY TO HELP THE CITY SATISFY THE CODE COMPLIANCE.

THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE HAVE SLAPPED PAIN ON AND NOW WE HAVE TAKEN OFF.

SO THIS AREA ALL HERE IS DETACHING.

THIS IS NOT ATTACHED.

AND THIS IS WHERE DOWN IN HERE THAT THE FOUNDATION WAS SINKING.

AND SO WE HAD A PIER, ANOTHER PIER, FOUNDATION PIER UH, PLACED INTO THE HOME. UM, THAT IMAGE AGAIN, YOU'RE LOOKING UP AND YOU CAN SEE THE SHOT OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WAS JUST TRYING TO GO AROUND THE THE PLUMBING.

AND THERE'S NO THE TWO STRUCTURAL HEADERS ARE OUT THERE.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THAT WALL TO KIND OF BOW OUT A LITTLE BIT ON THE SIDING.

AND A LOT OF THAT SIDING IS, YOU KNOW, IS CRACKED.

AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS ON ON REPLACING IT.

THIS HERE, THIS IMAGE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN THIS YOU WON'T SEE JUST FROM THE STREET.

BUT THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO US AS HOMEOWNERS BECAUSE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ALSO SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY RESIDENTS, TO THE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS HOUSE, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO JUST PRESERVE THE HOUSE.

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN AREA YOU COULD SLAP PAINT ON IT.

YOU COULD TRY TO REPLACE THE WOOD, BUT IT'S NOT TAKING CARE OF THE ACTUAL PROBLEM FOR IT TO BE AND PRESERVED FOR YEARS TO COME.

SO THIS IS ON THAT ONE BAY WINDOW THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALREADY SEPARATED.

I HAVE 10, 15 YEARS AGO REDONE A HOUSE JUST LIKE THIS, WHERE I HAVE BOOSTED UP FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE FIRST FLOOR TO THE SECOND FLOOR, AND THE HOUSE WILL CRACK AGAIN, THE PAINT WILL CRACK.

SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT I JUST KNOW.

YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THE WORK OVER AGAIN.

BUT THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SET A BUNCH OF JACKS DOWN AND LIFT THE HOUSE.

AND THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF WATER, WATER INFILTRATION IN THIS HOME AND BACK OVER HERE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE TOWARDS THE NORTH END IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST SEPARATION.

SO IT'S KIND OF TILTED A LITTLE BIT.

UM, AND AGAIN IT'S A SOLUTION, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE, IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

UM, HERE'S AN AREA.

AND THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHEN WE MET YOU ALL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THAT WE WERE AFRAID ABOUT, THAT WE WEREN'T TRYING JUST TO SAY WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COME IN COMPLIANCE. IT'S JUST THAT THE STEPS ARE WAY OUT OF HERE, THE WAY WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS HOUSE.

AND AND AT TIMES IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO US BECAUSE IT DOES PUT STRESS OUT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT WORK.

AND WE'RE JUST WE'RE TRYING TO DO STEP H WHEN REALLY WE HAVEN'T FINISHED A, B AND C.

SO HERE HERE'S ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE JUST PUT BRAND NEW PAINT ON.

AND WE WERE JUST GETTING READY TO THE WORKERS ENDED UP SEALING UP THE PORCH.

BUT THIS WAS BOWING HERE IN THE HOUSE.

AND FOR ME I GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHY IS IT BOWING.

I DON'T WANT TO END UP JUST SLAPPING IT ON SO WE CAN SATISFY COMPLIANCE.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MAJOR STRUCTURAL PROBLEM.

WE THOUGHT WE HAD A SEVERE STRUCTURAL PROBLEM ON THIS CORNER OF THE HOUSE.

AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OUT WAS THAT ALL OF THIS IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE IS REALLY WASN'T BOWING.

ALL OF THIS WAS FLUSH.

WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS THIS PIECE HERE REALLY WASN'T THAT PLUMB.

AND THE PIECE OF WOOD THAT THEY HAD INSIDE OF HERE HAD ABSOLUTELY ZERO FUNCTION AND WASN'T TAGGING ON TO THE IT WASN'T ALLOWING THE SIDING

[00:20:02]

AND SO IT WAS GIVEN THE APPEARANCE THAT IT WAS BUCKLING OUT WHEN REALLY ACTUALLY THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE IS FLUSH.

AND THIS PIECE WAS CHANGED.

THIS PIECE WAS CHANGED AND IT WASN'T PUT IN CORRECTLY.

AND THEN FROM THAT TREE THAT WAS PULLING DOWN THE WIRES, PULLING OFF THIS SIDE HERE WAS ALLOWING ALL THAT WATER TO INFILTRATE INTO THE HOME. AND SO REALLY JUST RECENTLY BEYOND FROM WHEN YOU CAME OUT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE OTHER PIECE THAT NOW ALL OF THIS IS JUST RIPPED OUT AGAIN. SO IT'S HARD TO KIND OF JUST FIGURE OUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE HOUSE IS.

AND NOW ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE FRONT, SOME OF IT'S DISMANTLED.

UM, YOU COULD SEE HERE.

WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU ALL THE FLOORING IS WAITING FOR THE DECK TO BE PUT INTO PLACE FOR THE FOR THE TWO FRONT PORCHES.

THAT'S ALL BEEN STAINED AND, UM, AND OILED AGAIN HERE THAT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF THE, THE WOOD FLOORING ALREADY WAITING AND GOING IN FOR THE PORCHES.

UM, DOWN HERE.

YOU KNOW WHAT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE TO THE BOARD IS WE DON'T HAVE A CONSTRUCTION CREW OF 60 PEOPLE IN OUR HOUSE.

IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO.

IT'S JUST NOT THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE.

WE WANT TO ENJOY A LOT OF THE WORK TO DO IN THE HOUSE.

SO WHEN WE'RE GOING TO RESTORE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, RUTH AND I ARE TAKING EACH ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY AND AND WORKING ON THEM TO PUT THEM BACK INTO A BEAUTIFUL CONDITION.

SO IT'S JUST IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF TIME, AS WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE.

AGAIN, HERE'S ALL THE WOOD.

I DID BRING THIS PICTURE UP HERE BECAUSE THIS WAS A DIVERSION FOR US NOT FOLLOWING THE SQUIRREL.

HAVE NO INTEREST IN FOLLOWING THE SQUIRREL THAT'S LEADING US AROUND THIS HOUSE WITH NUMEROUS THINGS THAT ARE POPPING UP, BUT WE ENDED UP HAVING A REALLY BAD SMELL, AND A LOT OF IT WAS COMING FROM THE HEATING SYSTEM.

SO RUTH AND I HAVE COMPLETELY DISMANTLED THE HEATING SYSTEM, AND IT WAS ALL THIS BAD ELECTRIC THAT WAS ENDED UP BEING A HAZARD THAT WE STARTED TAKING DOWN.

UM, GOT THIS PHOTO UP HERE JUST TO SHOW YOU FROM WHERE THE PORCH WENT TO.

UM, AS FAR AS WHEN IT WAS DISMANTLED TO WHEN IT'S BACK UP.

AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING TO PAINT IN THAT ONE AREA.

UM, WE DID RUN INTO A SNAG.

WE FINALLY GOT OUR INSPECTIONS COMPLETED.

I THINK IT WAS THE END OF THE 31ST OF APRIL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

UM, AND WE HAD A PAINTER, UM, LINED UP FOR THE TOP PEAK OF THE HOUSE.

THE BAY WINDOW OVER HERE AND THEN AROUND OVER THERE.

AND IT ENDED UP THE PAINTER ENDED UP BEING A NO SHOW.

AND I CAN PROVIDE ANY OF THAT, THE NOTES, THE EMAILS AND THE TEXTS IF THEY NEED TO GO INTO THE RECORD. UM, JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU REAL QUICK ALL THE NEW PIERS THAT ARE PUT IN AND THEN THE PIERS BEHIND THE HOUSE. UM, MANY OF THESE WERE RETOUCHED WITH BRICK, AND THEN EVEN UNDERNEATH HERE, WE ENDED UP CUTTING OUT AND WE ENDED UP PUTTING IN A STRUCTURAL BEAM.

AND THEN WE ENDED UP PUTTING IN AN ADDITIONAL PIER OVER HERE AGAIN TO HELP ALL THE SETTLING THAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE HOUSE.

IF YOU CAN, I'D JUST LIKE TO KIND OF JUST CIRCLE HERE.

UM, BY THE DOOR WHERE THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DIRT.

UM, IT'S JUST LIKE AT THE LAST MEETING, I WAS ASKING YOU, LIKE, WHERE DOES THE GOALPOST GO? WHERE DOES IT MOVE? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON THE HOUSE, WE'RE TAKING THE HOUSE, AND WHEN WE'RE SCRAPING, WE'RE CREATING MORE PEELING PAINT THAN WAS IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, BEFORE, WE'RE JUST GETTING BIGGER AREAS IN IT.

SO THE HOUSE IS, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD JUST BE A IDENTIFIED AS NOW AS A RESTORATION PROCESS OR A CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.

UM, HERE'S THE NEW PIER, UM, THAT WE'RE HOPING IS GOING TO HELP A LOT IN THE SETTLING ON THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

UM, WHAT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU ON THIS IMAGE.

HERE IS WHERE THE ARROW IS.

YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT WAS IN PRETTY MUCH A LOT OF THAT WAS IN OKAY CONDITION.

UM, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE THE HOUSE WAS BUCKLING AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS BUCKLING HERE, BUT IT'S NOT.

IT ACTUALLY IS, BECAUSE WHOEVER PUT THE WORKMANSHIP IN HERE ON THIS SIDE OF THE HOUSE, UM, INSIDE, THOSE BEAMS JUST WEREN'T FITTING, RIGHT.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE CUTTING IT.

[00:25:02]

UM, BUT THE SAD PART TOO, IS NOT ONLY DID THIS ALL DETERIORATE, ALL THESE NAILS OVER HERE RUST, BUT ON THIS SIDE OF THE CLAPBOARDS, THERE'S GOT TO BE ABOUT SIX OF THEM THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED RIGHT THERE.

WHERE THE DIRT WAS BEFORE YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST COMING BECAUSE AS RUTH AND I ARE GOING THROUGH IT AGAIN, JUST OURSELVES, WE'RE METICULOUSLY TRYING TO GO DOWN, STRIP, PEEL, SAND IT, AND GET EVERYTHING FLUSH.

NOT JUST THAT IT'S JUST SEALED RIGHT, OR JUST THAT PAINT IS ON TOP OF IT.

WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET IT REALLY, REALLY, UM, LOOKING REALLY, REALLY NICE.

SO A LOT OF IT WE'RE GOING DOWN WITH THE GRINDER AND SO FORTH.

AND YOU COULD SEE WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS THERE.

WE HAVEN'T PUT THE FLOOR IN ONE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INSPECTION YET.

AND ALSO WE'RE TRYING TO DO THINGS IN THE RIGHT ORDER WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO LAY A NEW DECK DOWN AND THEN PAINT ON TOP OF IT.

BUT YOU COULD SEE A LOT OF THE, THE PROGRESS, UM, HAPPENING HERE.

AND THERE'S JUST RUTH DOING THE PIECES OF THE FLOORING AS WELL AS THE RAILINGS.

YOU COULD SEE ON THIS SIDE OF THE HOUSE AGAIN TOO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THIS THAT WAS STRIPPED IS WAY STRIPPED A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WAS THERE ORIGINALLY.

SO AND THEN ALSO TRYING THIS THIS RIGHT HERE WITH THE WINDOWS, WE'VE NOTICED THAT ON ALL THE BAY WINDOWS YOU COULD SEE THE SEPARATION.

UM, DOWN HERE AGAIN, WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, BUT IT ALSO CREATES A LOT OF SEPARATION IN THE WINDOWS.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE WINDOWS ARE JAMMED BECAUSE IT'S IT'S NOT LEVEL OR PLUMB.

UM. THIS WAS HERE'S THE REASON I BROUGHT THIS PHOTO UP WAS IS BECAUSE ANY TIME WE AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS, ANY TIME WE TAKE SOMETHING OUT, WE'RE ALWAYS FINDING THAT THERE'S PRETTY CRAPPY WORK BEHIND IT.

SO FOR SOME REASON, THERE WAS A VENT FAN THAT WAS BACK HERE AND THE ACTUAL ELECTRIC WAS ON THE METAL.

UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WE LUCKILY FOUND OUT THIS WAS JUST REALLY [INAUDIBLE].

BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS, IS SOME OF THAT WAS CUT OUT, YOU KNOW, SO WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO JUST PUT IT BACK, YOU KNOW? SO WE RESISTED.

WE ENGINEERED A LOT OF THE LUMBER BACK THERE.

AND NOW THAT'S ALL BEEN REPLACED.

AND THE HOLE IS COVERED AND IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD.

UM, I BROUGHT THIS PICTURE BACK UP HERE BECAUSE PARTICULARLY THIS LOW PIECE DOWN HERE AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY OF THE WORK.

UM, AS YOU NOTICED, THE ONE CONTRACTOR THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, HE'S GOT AN EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY.

YOU SEE A LOT OF HIS SIGNS THAT ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

UM, WE'RE WE'RE WAITING ON THAT WORK TO BE DONE.

THIS UNIT IS SLIDING OVER.

THIS PIECE IS GOING TO BE REPLACED WHEN THAT UNIT SLIDES OVER, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GAP OVER HERE.

SO ALL THAT MOLDING HAS TO BE DONE.

PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SIDING I THINK IS GOING TO COME DOWN.

AND RIGHT IN HERE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A DOOR WINDOW, WINDOW, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW PORCH.

UM, AND WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO DO THE WORK ON THAT.

JUST A POINT OF INTEREST.

ALL THIS BRICK, UM, WAS AT OLD TOWN AND IT WAS GOING TO BE THROWN AWAY.

AND SO WE PICKED IT UP BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO INTEGRATE IT INTO THE HOME.

AND YOUR WIFE DID A MARVELOUS JOB OF TRANSPORTING THOSE BRICKS.

SHE DID. SHE DID.

UM, I GAVE YOU A GOLF CART.

YEAH. GAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A MORE CLOSER UP, UH, HERE IN THIS AREA, JUST.

JUST SO YOU COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS JUST THIS SIGNIFICANT GAP THAT WAS IN THERE.

AND AGAIN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHY WE DIDN'T HESITATE.

WE DIDN'T HESITATE AT ALL NOT TO PUT THE PAINT, YOU KNOW, ON THE OTHER SIDE, ONCE WE FOUND THAT OUT AGAIN SINCE WE HAD PAINT ON THE FRONT.

UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE WE'RE WE'RE REALLY READY.

THIS WHOLE SIDE UP TOP HAS BEEN PRESSURE WASHED, SCRUBBED.

AND RIGHT NOW IT'S IT'S READY AND SET FOR, UH, FOR SCRAPING.

AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, RUTH AND I ARE DOING ALL DOWN HERE.

WE'RE DOING DOWN UP IN THERE, AND WE'RE DOING THE WHOLE BOTTOM LEVEL.

BUT WE WE THOUGHT WE HAD THE WHOLE TOP LEVEL CONTRACTED OUT.

WE ACTUALLY HAD A CONTRACTED OUT TWICE.

ONE PAINTER WE FIRED AND THE OTHER WAS A NO SHOW.

AND JUST OTHER STUFF HERE THAT WE HAD.

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, STRUCTURALLY, THAT WAS THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE WHERE A LOT OF THIS SIDING IS FAILING.

AND JUST FROM WE HAD TO GET THAT, WE FINALLY GOT THAT NASTY ROOT THAT SAW PALMETTO OR WHATEVER THAT WAS, UM, OUT OF THERE.

[00:30:04]

I KNOW IT'S BORING.

YOU KNOW, I TALKED A LOT.

THERE'S A LOT OF PICTURES, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, THAT HOUSE OVERALL IS A HUGE JOB.

AND AGAIN, AS I'VE EXPLAINED, YOU KNOW, FOLKS, SOME FOLKS ARE LOOKING AT THE MICRO LEVEL ON US WITH THAT HOUSE.

RUTH AND I ARE AT THE MACRO, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S JUST NOTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN'T DO ON TRYING TO REALLY FIX THAT WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE.

IT'S GOT A COMPLETE NEW CHIMNEY THAT'S BEEN RESURFACED, RETOUCHED.

IT'S GOT A BRAND NEW ROOF.

WE'VE ALREADY ASKED BUILT TO LAST ON THE COTTAGE THAT'S NEXT DOOR.

I KNOW THAT PROPERTY IS NOT HISTORIC, BUT AGAIN, IT GOES TO THE APPEARANCE OF THE PROPERTY.

WE'VE ALREADY ASKED HIM TO GIVE US AN ESTIMATE ON THE ROOF BECAUSE WE NEED A NEW ROOF THERE.

WE'VE NOTICED DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF RAINSTORMS WE'VE GOT RAIN DRIPPING IN, YOU KNOW, OVER THERE.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE THAT WHOLE NORTH SIDE TO WHAT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER AND NOT FORGET IS THERE IS AN ADDITION THAT'S GOING BACK ON THERE. AND ROB HAS ALREADY TOLD US HE'S GOING TO BE DIGGING INTO THAT SIDING TO PUT THAT NEW ADDITION ON THERE, YOU KNOW, SO I FOR ME, I'M ASKING NOT TO PUT I'LL PUT A PRIMER ON THERE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT A BRAND NEW PAINT JOB ON THERE WITH THE SIDING AND ALL OF THAT.

IF IT'S GOING TO BE IF IT'S GOING TO BE REMOVED, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S JUST REALLY IT'S JUST REALLY HARD AT TIMES WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK ON STEP H, WHEN WE'VE GOT A FEW STEPS BEFORE THAT THAT NEED TO BE DONE.

OKAY. DO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. WELLS OR THE PROPERTY OWNER? IF NOT, LET ME ADD THE PENULTIMATE QUESTION NEXT TO THE LAST ONE.

UH, SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US? UM, FOR FOR FOR ME AS THE HOMEOWNER, I'M GOING TO JUST BE A LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL ON THIS.

TO ME, IT LEAVES US TO ME, IT LEAVES US, RUTH AND I, IN A REALLY GOOD SPOT BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY HAPPY WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE ENJOY WORKING ON THAT HOME.

I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE JUST INTERESTED IN THE FACTS AND THE APPEARANCE AND ALL THAT OF THE HOME.

I GET THAT, BUT WE LOVE WORKING ON THE HOME.

THERE IS NOT A DAY GIVEN HOW BUSY OUR LIVES ARE IN OTHER THINGS.

THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT EITHER ONE OF US ARE NOT AT THAT HOUSE WORKING ON THAT HOUSE.

SO WE IN TERMS OF A TIMELINE, ANY THOUGHTS? YES, SIR. I JUST REALLY FEEL LIKE WE JUST KEEP GOING AHEAD.

I COME HERE, I'LL COME HERE IN THREE MONTHS IF YOU WANT AGAIN.

COME HERE IN SIX MONTHS IF YOU WANT.

WE'RE EXCITED TO FINALLY SEE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE HAPPENING.

YOU KNOW, WE FEEL REAL CONFIDENT.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO BE ON THE FRONT PART OF THAT HOUSE RIGHT NOW.

WE FEEL REAL CONFIDENT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LAYER UP ABOVE THAT PORCH ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

UM, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT AFTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO LAY THE BOTTOM DECKING AND THEN ROB'S GOING TO ORDER THE TOP DECKING. SO JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE RECORD, ROB IS WHO.

OH I'M SORRY, UH, [INAUDIBLE].

YEP. UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CHANGE AGAIN IN THAT HOUSE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK, SIR, IF I CAME, IF WE BOTH CAME HERE AND THERE REALLY WASN'T, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE REALLY DRAGGING OUR FEET.

WE ACTUALLY THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO COME HERE AND NOT THE MIDDLE SECTION, BECAUSE RUTH AND I ARE DOING THAT.

BUT WE REALLY THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO PRESENT YOU WITH A TOP PEAKS WERE DONE.

YOU KNOW, THE GUY JUST NOT SHOWING UP WAS JUST.

AND IT EVEN TOOK ROB, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOOP TOO, BECAUSE IT WAS A PAINTER THAT HE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

SO HE'S GOT A PAINTER NOW.

HE'S LIKE, HEY, LET ME JUST TEST THEM OUT AND SEE HOW HOW HIS CREW IS, AND THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU A RECOMMENDATION FROM THERE.

BUT WE REALLY THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DID THINK WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE PAINT ON THE, ON THE HOME, BUT WE DID NOT PULL THE TRIGGER ON THE PAINTER UNTIL THAT FRAMING INSPECTION WAS ALL DONE.

AND WE KNEW THAT TOP PORTION WASN'T GOING TO MOVE.

SO, MR. WELLS, ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY TO THIS? UM, I CAN REALLY APPRECIATE THE QUALITY OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR.

I COMMEND YOU AND THE CONTRACTORS ON THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A HOUSE OF THIS AGE, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE SOMETHING APART AND THEN YOU FIND TEN OTHER THINGS MAYBE.

AND THAT'S THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE.

UM. MY ONLY CONCERN WAS AFTER SEEING THE TIMELINE THAT MR. GEORGE SET OUT FOR THIS.

[00:35:01]

UM, OF COURSE WE'RE NOT THERE EVERY DAY.

WE DON'T SEE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR WIFE ARE PUTTING IN.

AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE I DON'T GO BY THERE EVERY DAY TO SEE IF Y'ALL ARE WORKING.

BUT, UM, IN MY OPINION, WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED THAT I, I FEEL THE WORK IS, IS NOT AT THE PACE IT NEEDS TO BE.

NOW, I DON'T WANT TO COMPROMISE QUALITY FOR QUANTITY AT ANY, AT ANY ASPECT BECAUSE I CAN APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO AND I IT REALLY LOOKS GOOD WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR.

UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO KIND OF NAIL DOWN SOME TYPE OF TIME FRAME.

SO WE SO THE BOARD WILL KNOW HOW TO RULE.

I MEAN, DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AND I UNDERSTAND WHATEVER.

I MEAN, YOU CAN SAY SIX MONTHS AND TOMORROW THAT COULD CHANGE.

BUT IF YOU COULD GIVE THEM SOME TYPE OF DIRECTION, WHETHER YOU THINK IT'S YOU NEED SIX MORE MONTHS OR YOU NEED A YEAR OR WHATEVER IT IS, YOU THINK IF YOU COULD GIVE THEM SOME DIRECTION ON THAT.

UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT AND LET'S JUST TAKE IT IN A SIX MONTH BLOCK AND TRY TO BE REALLY REALISTIC SO THAT WE'RE NOT COMING IN HERE, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME.

UM, AND I RESPECT ALSO THE PIECE THAT THE CITY WANTS IT FASTER.

UM, BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN HOUSES HERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PEOPLE HAVE RESTORED THEM.

AND IT'S BEEN LIKE SEVEN YEARS.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST IT'S IT'S A LONG TIME.

IT'S A LONG PROCESS.

AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A COUPLE LIKE US THAT WE WANT TO DO SOME OF THE WORK.

YOU KNOW, WE WE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE UNDER OUR FINANCIAL PLAN, KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO CERTAIN KIND OF WORK.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY IT IS GOING SLOW.

AND THAT SHOULD BE OKAY.

UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE, I THINK IT'S REALLY SAFE TO SAY WE'RE SITTING AT JANUARY RIGHT NOW.

I THINK BY JUNE YOU'LL SEE THE PORT SIDE ON THE SOUTH SIDE DONE.

YOU'LL SEE THAT ONE FLOOR PRIMED AND PAINTED.

UM, I THINK WITHIN THREE WEEKS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE TOP FLOOR PAINTED.

UM, AND THAT'LL, THAT'LL CHANGE THE WHOLE APPEARANCE.

UM, THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS ONE WHERE I JUST WANT TO STAGNATE ON A LITTLE BIT UNTIL WE FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE STRUCTURALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND I THINK ALSO, IT'S VERY SAFE TO SAY WITHIN THAT PERIOD, THE TWO PEAKS ARE GOING TO BE THE TWO PEAKS ARE GOING TO BE PAINTED AND, AND YOU'LL SEE ABOUT HALF, MAYBE THREE QUARTERS OF ALL THE RAILINGS UP ON THE PORCH.

WELL, THE JOBSITE, IN MY OPINION, IT'S NOT AN EYESORE WHATSOEVER.

AND YOU GUYS NEED TO BE COMMENDED ON HOW NEATLY YOU KEEP THAT PLACE ORGANIZED AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU BROUGHT FROM OLD TOWN.

I MEAN, ALL THAT STUFF'S NEATLY STACKED UP AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST A CONSTRUCTION SITE.

YEAH. AND I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. WELLS, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO TELL EVERYBODY TOO.

AND IT JUST HAPPENED.

I KNOW ANECDOTAL STORIES DON'T MEAN THAT MUCH TO YOU, BUT I JUST GOT MY COFFEE AT MACOMB.

I WAS SITTING DOWN THERE AND A LADY CAME IN WHO LIVES DOWN ON 7TH STREET, AND SHE'S LIKE, I'M SO EXCITED.

ON HOW BEAUTIFUL THE HOUSE IS TURNING.

YOU GUYS PICKED A GREAT COLOR.

IT'S JUST LOOKING GREAT.

AND WE GET SO MANY OF THOSE COMPLIMENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I THINK WE'RE ALL GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WE JUST GOT TO CONTINUE TO WORK, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER, NOT GET STUCK ON A TIMELINE AND JUST GET STUCK ON THAT THE WORK IS BEING DONE AND THAT IT'S GOOD WORK AND IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE HOME.

I JUST PAUL SAYS MOST EVERYTHING, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE I DO WANT TO COMMENT.

I KNOW WE'RE GOING SLOW.

UM, AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE SO PICKY ON EVERYTHING, AND, UM, WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE HOUSE THAT JUST AREN'T DOING IT TO THE QUALITY THAT WE WANT IT DONE.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY KNOW PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY CLOSE TO US WHO'VE HAD TO FIRE THEIR CONTRACTORS BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE REALLY CRAPPY WORK AND THEY'RE HAVING TO DO WORK OVER AGAIN.

AND WE JUST DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY WORKING ON THE HOUSE, THAT'S NOT US, WE ARE THERE.

UM, AND THAT'S PART OF WHY IT PROBABLY GOES SO SLOW.

BUT ALSO I DO JUST WANT TO THROW OUT, DON'T YOU LOVE THAT COLOR IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN.

WAS THAT THE ORIGINAL COLOR THAT YOU PICKED? NO, IT WASN'T THE ORIGINAL COLOR.

BUT WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE YELLOW HOUSE NEXT TO US AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT COLOR WAS GOING TO ACCENT OR NOT ACCENT, BUT ENHANCE BOTH HOUSES.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME SPENT ON PICKING A COLOR THAT WOULD GO WITH THE YELLOW HOUSE NEXT DOOR.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BY IT, I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE GETTING ALONG.

[00:40:02]

SO LET ME ASK MR. WELLS ONE QUESTION. UH.

SINCE MR. GEORGE IS NOW THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT HE WOULD? WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

UM, I HAVE NOT GOT BACK WITH HIM ABOUT AS FAR AS MODIFYING THE SCHEDULE.

I CAN PUT THAT UP.

HOW MUCH OF THIS WAS DONE? MR. GEORGE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THIS AS FAR AS THE COMPLETION DATE? GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOUR OATH.

CAN YOU SWEAR IN THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, CITY ENGINEER, ETC., ETC.? DO YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY AND OR EVIDENCE YOU ARE ABOUT TO GIVE AND PRESENT IS THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? OKAY. MR. GEORGE, THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY.

CHARLIE GEORGE, IN THIS CASE, I GUESS I'LL BE THE CITY ENGINEER.

OKAY. UM, IT'S A HERCULEAN EFFORT THAT THEY'RE DOING.

I MEAN, IT'S A BIG HOUSE AND A MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS WHEN I LOOKED AT IT OVER A YEAR AGO.

UM, I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN.

IT'S JUST AT A POINT WHERE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN PICK PINPOINT A SCHEDULE, BECAUSE AS PAUL SAYS, THEY'RE WORKING ON THIS AREA AND THEY FIND SOMETHING ELSE THERE THAT THEY GOT TO GO TO AND GO, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S IT'S REALLY HARD TO NAIL DOWN A SCHEDULE.

THAT'S WHY I THINK AT THE MEETING WE HAD BACK IN APRIL OR NO, APRIL 22ND, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING A YEAR AND THEN THE BOARD GAVE MORE TIME.

AND I MEAN, IT'S JUST BETWEEN WEATHER AND THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU UNCOVER SOMETHING.

IT'S JUST REALLY HARD TO PINPOINT, UM, WHAT THAT SCHEDULE IS.

AND FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT, WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR PROJECTS, TOO.

SO FROM A TIME FRAME.

UM, SO I SYMPATHIZE WITH THEM.

UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN TELL YOU, LIKE, WHAT'S THAT DATE THAT THEY COULD GET DONE? ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. GEORGE OR ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, THIS WAS A HEARING, BUT WE CLOSED THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING.

TALK ABOUT BOARD DISCUSSION.

UH, THE RECOMMENDATION, UM.

IS THE CITY WILL LET, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD DETERMINE IF FINES ARE TO BE ASSESSED AND THEN NOTES THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEES OF $757. UH.

ONE AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT, UH.

EVEN IN OTHER CASES, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT THE BOARD EITHER ASSESS FINES OR ASSESS ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.

THAT'S AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD.

THAT'S RIGHT.

GENTLEMEN. MR. CHAIR, I PROPOSE THAT DOING A SIX MONTH STATUS.

UH, GETTING RUTH AND PAUL BACK IN FRONT OF US WITH THEM DETERMINING OR SHOWING US EXACTLY THE PROGRESS THAT THEY'RE MAKING.

THEY'RE JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

YEAH, YEAH, THEY'RE IN MY BACKYARD, ACTUALLY.

OKAY. UM, IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO GO AFTER MY LAST TWO YEARS RESTORING OUR HOUSE.

I GREATLY SYMPATHIZE WITH WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.

UM, I DON'T THINK THEY CAN PUT A SOLID TIMELINE ON WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN SIX MONTHS, BUT I THINK THEY SHOW DEMONSTRATED PROGRESS. THEN WE SHOULD HOLD ANY FINES OR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES IN ABEYANCE UNTIL THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT AND THEN MAKE A DECISION.

OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS TO OFFICIALLY RETURN IN SIX MONTHS WITH A PROGRESS REPORT AND WHOLE FINES AND ADMINISTRATIVE FEES IN ABEYANCE UNTIL THEN.

AND WAS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? I'LL SECOND THAT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SECRETARY, CALL THE ROLL.

CALL] WE'LL SEE YOU AROUND.

[00:45:04]

[INAUDIBLE] UNDER NEW BUSINESS.

[5.1 KAREN MOORE AND LAUREN C. CONRAD (JT/RS), 1426 LIME ST., CASE 2023-0256.]

UM. VIOLATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 5.01.02.

DUMPSTERS, MR. WELLS. YES.

I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO SUBMIT THIS EVIDENCE BACK INTO THE RECORD [INAUDIBLE] THERE BEING NO OBJECTION INTO THE RECORD.

OKAY. LET'S SEE.

YEAH. UM, ANYTIME A NEW BUSINESS APPLIES FOR A LOCAL BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT, CODE ENFORCEMENT GOES OUT AND THEY INSPECT THE PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING OR WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE DOING IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE SEE THEM DOING.

WE ALSO DO A HEALTH AND SAFETY INSPECTION, AND WE ALSO LOOK FOR ANY LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE VIOLATIONS OR MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATIONS.

UM, IN THIS CASE, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TO THIS PROPERTY.

IT'S A STRIP BUSINESS.

THERE'S PROBABLY 5 OR 6 BUSINESSES IN THIS STRIP.

UM, I HAVE DEALT WITH MISS MOORE NUMEROUS TIMES.

UM, I'VE DONE THE ETR INSPECTIONS, AND THE FIRST TIME SHE ASSURED ME THAT SHE WOULD HAVE THE, UM, DUMPSTER.

BECAUSE THE LDC REQUIRES THAT DUMPSTERS BE ENCLOSED AND ALSO LANDSCAPED AS A PART OF THE LDC.

SO SHE KIND OF LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO THAT WITH THE FIRST INSPECTION THAT I DID, I BELIEVE WITH THE, UM, DOG PLACE.

BUT ANYWAY, THIS LAST INSPECTION WHICH TRIGGERED THIS CASE, UM, WE OPENED THIS CASE SEPTEMBER 9TH, AND LIKE I SAID, THE RESPONDENT FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE LOCAL BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT REQUIREMENTS.

UM, WE MAILED A CERTIFIED LETTER TO HER GIVING HER 30 DAYS TO COMPLY.

THE CERTIFIED LETTER WAS RETURNED TO OUR OFFICE UNCLAIMED BY THE RESPONDENT.

UM, I CONDUCTED A COMPLIANCE INSPECTION JUST TO CHECK, AND THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO THE DUMPSTER.

UM, MICHELLE FORSTROM AND I HAND-DELIVERED A AND POSTED A SECOND COPY OF THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION NOTICE OF HEARING LETTER AT HER BUSINESS/ RESIDENCE AT UM, AT 1562 PARK LANE.

UM, WE RECORDED PHOTOGRAPHS OF THAT POSTING.

UM, I'VE TALKED TO MISS MOORE.

WELL, THE LAST CALL THAT I'VE MADE TO MISS MOORE.

UM, SHE DID NOT RETURN MY PHONE CALL.

SO, UM, I PERFORMED A PRE AGENDA INSPECTION ON DECEMBER 21ST, THE DUMPSTER.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF THAT.

THIS IS IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY BEHIND THE BUILDING.

THE CODE SAYS AS LONG AS IT'S IT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY, THEN IT HAS TO BE ENCLOSED AND HAS TO BE LANDSCAPED.

UM. LET'S GET INTO THE NEXT PICTURE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE SAME PICTURE, BUT ANYWAY.

OKAY, THIS WAS THE ACTUAL POSTING THAT WE PUT ON THE DOOR, SINCE SHE DIDN'T CLAIM THE FIRST LETTER THAT WE SENT OUT CERTIFIED.

SO SHE HAS BEEN PROPERLY SERVED.

UM, IN OUR OPINION, MISS MOORE HAS BEEN ADVISED ON TWO SEPARATE LTR INSPECTIONS AT THE DUMPSTER AT THIS STRIP MALL MUST BE ENCLOSED IN LANDSCAPE.

SHE HAS NOT MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.

UM. THE CITY RECOMMENDS A MOTION TO BE MADE FINDING A RESPONDENT IN VIOLATION OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 5.01.07 A-H, GIVING THE OWNER 30 ADDITIONAL DAYS TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE BY FEBRUARY 3RD, 2024, THE CITY RECOMMENDS A MOTION BE MADE THAT ALL ADMIN FEES BE PAID BY THE RESPONDENT AND A FEE OF $100 PER DAY PER VIOLATION TO BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 4TH, IF NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH A LIEN PLACED ON THE PROPERTY IN 45 DAYS.

[00:50:10]

NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WELLS? I DO, UM, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THIS PARTICULAR RESPONDENT IS, UH, BEING PARTICULARLY RECALCITRANT IN ADDRESSING ANY OF THE, UH, INSPECTIONS OR EVEN MAINTAINING CONTACT WITH YOU.

WHY WOULD YOU GIVE ANOTHER 30 DAYS BEFORE FINES? WELL, YOU'LL FIND OUT THAT OUR DEPARTMENT, WE'VE BENT OVER BACKWARDS TRYING TO GET COMPLIANCE.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST OUR NATURE.

UM, I MEAN, WE GIVE THEM THE NTH DEGREE, UM, TO TRY TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.

BUT YOU GUYS, I MEAN, THE BOARD MEMBERS, YOU GUYS CAN, UM, DECIDE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

THAT'S JUST MY RECOMMENDATION.

UM, I'M STILL GIVING HER A WAY TO COMPLY IF SHE'LL DO IT WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, INCURRING FINES AND FEES.

I THINK WE'VE FOUND OVER TIME THAT, UH, GETTING THE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION THAT TALKS ABOUT MEANS BEING ASSESSED AGAINST YOUR PROPERTY AND 30 DAYS TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.

AND THE APPEALS PROCESS TO THE COURTS SOMETIMES GETS PEOPLE ATTENTION.

UM. IT'S NOT ALL THE TIME.

YOU SEE A VERY STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO CASES.

BETWEEN WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MR. WELLS AND HIS COMPATRIOTS, WOULD BE AN OFFICIAL LETTER SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE FINE AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LIEN AGAINST YOUR PROPERTY, SOMETIMES GETS PEOPLE ATTENTION. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE CLEARER PORTIONS OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT WE'VE SEEN.

IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

UM, WHETHER IT'S 30 DAYS OR PEOPLE WANT SOME DAYS, A LESSER AMOUNT, THAT'S FINE TOO.

UH, SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS FINES AND FEES, UH, TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITHIN 30 DAYS, MR. WELLS. THAT'S CORRECT.

WHICH IS A FINE OF $100 PER DAY AFTER THAT, AFTER THAT DATE, STARTING FEBRUARY 4TH.

ANY DISCUSSION FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD? WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO BEGIN THE FINES, LIKE AT THIS MEETING, AND HOLD THEM IN ABEYANCE.

YES, IS THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

BUT, UH, WHAT THIS LETTER SAYS IS YOU'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE THEN THE FINES ARE AUTOMATIC AFTER 30 DAYS.

AND IF THE GOAL IS TO GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, THAT'S ONE WAY BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'LL BE IN THE POSITION OF HAVING SOMEBODY COME BACK IN 30 DAYS AND TRY TO EXPLAIN THEIR WAY OUT OF THIS.

I HAVE A QUESTION. IS THE LIEN THE 45 DAY PERIOD THAT MENTIONS THE LIEN? IS THAT IS THAT KIND OF A SET IN STONE THING? LIKE YOU GIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, 30 DAYS, SAY, AND THEN AFTER THAT THERE'S 45 DAYS.

THERE'S NOTHING, FOR EXAMPLE, IN STATUTES OR RULES THAT SAY THAT THAT IS OUR OWN ADMINISTRATIVE OKAY.

WE HOLD IF IF THE BOARD ISSUES AN ORDER, WE DON'T FILE IT IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS, WHICH ACTS AS A LIEN UNTIL THERE'S BEEN NO PAYMENT OR SATISFACTION OF THAT IN 45 DAYS.

SO THE 45 DAYS IS FROM FEBRUARY 4TH? YES. AND YOU CAN ALSO SET YOUR OWN NUMBER OF DAYS, BECAUSE THIS BOARD ULTIMATELY SAYS WHEN WE WOULD FILE A LIEN.

OKAY. MR. THOMPSON, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, BUT I DO LIKE THE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT, UH, I THINK IT'S TIME TO PUT SOME TEETH INTO, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. UH, WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN, UH, STIFF ARMED AND BACKHANDED, UH, AT A CERTAIN POINT, IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING, UH, MORE CONCRETE. SO I FULLY SUPPORT THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION.

SO THE MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO ACCEPT MR. WELLS RECOMMENDATION.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. CLERK, CALL THE ROLL.

OKAY. UM.

UNDER NEW BUSINESS.

[6. BOARD BUSINESS]

[00:55:11]

GENTLEMEN FROM RHODE ISLAND.

UH, 6.2 AND 6.3 ARE THE ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS AND [INAUDIBLE] B UT, UH, IF NOMINATED, I WILL NOT RUN, AND IF ELECTED, I WILL NOT SERVE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

UH, BUT THAT LEAVES THREE OF YOU WITHOUT THE REST OF THE BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION.

AND I WOULD SUGGEST, WITH THE CONSENT OF EVERYBODY, THAT WE POSTPONE THE ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS UNTIL THE FEBRUARY MEETING IN HOPES THAT WE WILL HAVE A FULL BOARD.

I'LL AGREE WITH THAT. AGREED.

I AGREE. OKAY.

UM, WITH THAT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.