Rubble remains at the site of the former Sportsman’s Bar and Grille, and according to the Pulaski County Commissioners, few are taking responsibility.
The building collapsed earlier this year, prompting health and safety concerns in Monterey. It was learned during Monday’s Pulaski County Commissioners meeting that a local resident has offered to haul the building’s remains away for free. The individual must first become registered with the County Building Inspector.
County Attorney Kevin Tankersley says the site is still not the concern of the individual who purchased the tax certificate.
“You file a petition with a court to get a deed,” says Tankersley. “After a year has run, you petition for a deed. Well this person would be crazy to petition for a deed at this point.”
Pulaski County has already assessed a fine against the owner of the former Sportsman’s Bar and Grille of $5-thousand.
Tankersley, however, says negotiations should not be taking place with anyone. Instead, he advised commissioners that the offer for free removal should simply be passed along to the owner of the property – who has allegedly denied responsibility.
Tankersely says some easy solutions remain.
“For example, if I was running the Town of Monterey, I would contact the owner and ask her to deed me that property so the Town became the owner of that property,” says Tankersley. “She’s not going to do anything with it. She’s avoiding it like crazy. She has no money. You want to clean up your town? Get the property.”
Local residents have requested that a portion of the roadway next to the collapsed structure be reopened.
Commissioners are also considering a possible increase in the fine due to the speed with which clean-up is progressing.
