Concerns over the structural integrity of a downtown building were shared with members of the Chenoa City Council Tuesday evening.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Joseph Bell, who is a former commissioner, said his father owns a nearby building with a new roof but he doesn’t want to work on it until the other one nearby is fixed.
“I already told the Fourth of July Committee we are not using the grass area,” Bell said.
Bell asked what the city is doing to fix the problem to keep individuals from getting hurt. He also asked if the July 3 street dance would still be held in the vicinity of the building along Veto Street.
“We’re going to have another incident like the one next door here,” Bell stated, referring to a former building next to City Hall and Chenoa Pharmacy which collapsed years ago.
Mayor Chris Wilder said a letter was sent last week regarding the current building in question and that he had not heard of any plans yet for the July festivities around there.
Bell also shared his frustration with the council over a written warning of an ordinance violation he received after cutting down trees just a couple of weeks after resigning from the City Council. Bell claimed he was trying to improve property by getting rid of waste.
“We are now three weeks out from the Fourth of July and there are countless yards in town that haven’t been moved all year,” he noted.
Streets Commissioner Dwayne Price told Bell workers are issuing more written notes about certain issues in town which is an ongoing pattern since he has been around.
An emergency response concern was also shared by Bell. He said it was 40 minutes before an officer responded to the call in his neighborhood recently.
“There was nobody in town at all,” Bell stated. “We are paying for a full-time police force.”
According to Bell, this was an incident where the police had to respond first.
