HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-12-22 98-61 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION
Item No. 98-61
Date December 22, 1997
Item/Subject Directing the City Manager to Take Action Relative
to Property Located at 21 Fourth Street (Map 34 Lot 99)
Responsible Department: Legal
The existing structure at 21 Fourth Street has been determined to
be unfit for human habitation. In addition, the property has
matured real estate taxes assessed against it for FY 1995 and FY
1996. This Order would direct the City Manager to take possession
of the property so that the City may proceed with demolition of the
fisting structure, The lot is too small to be built upon as a
stand-alone lot, but may be offered for sale to the abutting
property owners following demolition as an addition to their lots.
Department Head
Associated Information: 0 ) Y(tn9�
Legal Approval:
Finance �ctor
City Solicitor
Introduced For SBA
mac_ Passage
First Reading
Referral Page 1 of 2
98-61
Aceigredtofnwmar Tyler December 22, 1997
CITY OF BANGOR
(TITLE.) VHTDPY .....,. Directing the City Manager to Take Action Relative
to Property Located at 21 Fourth Street (Map 39 Lot 77)
. .. ...... _. ... _ 1. . .......—
By aw 04 Vo Of City WHanW.
ORDERED,
THAT WHEREAS, the structure located at 21 Fourth Street
has been declared unfit for human use and habitation by the Code
Enforcement Officer of the City of Bangor; and
WHEREAS, the owner, George L. Teoulas of Bangor.
Maine, has abandoned care and upkeep of said property forcing the
City to take steps to keep the building secure so as not to be an
attractive nuisance to children and vagrants; and
WHEREAS, tax liens levied by the City Of Bangor
have matured,
NOW, THEREFORE, by the City Council of the City of
Bangor, be it
ORDERED,
THAT the City Manager take possession of the
structure and dispose of it in a manner which protects the health
and welfare of the citizens of the City of Bangor.
IN CITY COUNCIL
December 22, 1997
Passed
LEM
98 -fit
0R DER
Title, Directing the City Reneger to
Take Action Relative to. Property Located
at 21 Fourth Street (Nae 34 Lot JJ)
.....................
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9~EZL6'
Amigned to
T.
Councilman
General Commentary
Council Order Nos. 98-61_ through 986
The next six Council Orders relate to six tax -foreclosed
properties formerly owned by George L. Tsoulas or the Tsoulas
trusts. As the Council 1s aware, for nearly a year Assistant City
Solicitor Norm Heitman and Code Enforcement Officer Dan Wellington
have been working closely wird Kenneth Tsoulas asconservator of
his father's interests and as substitute trustee of the
trusts, to liquidate a total of 15 tax -foreclosed properties
located in Bangor, amajority of which had been placarded as unfit
for human occupancy. The City's goals have been, first, to
rehabilitate or demolish the placarded structures at no taxpayer
expense, and second, to Collect all back taxes and sewer charges
owed, if possible. So far, these goals have been met, with seven
of the properties transferred to private ownership for demolition
or rehabilitation, and two of the properties scheduled to be
released back upon full payment of past due taxes under written
workout agreements. (A Consent Agenda item on tonight's Council
agenda would approve the release of one of these properties, 10
Clinton Court, for which taxes have been paid.) Back taxes and
sewer charges owed on six of the seven properties sold for
demolition or rehabilitation, totalling more than $103,000, have
been paid in full. A balance of $8,000 due on one of these
Properties, plus $25,000 due on one of the two properties to be
released, will be paid by February 1998.
The following Orders would dispose of the remaining
ing six
properties. Essentially, the City will be receiving quitclaim
deeds releasing all claims of George Tsoulas and the Tsoulas trusts
as former owners of the six properties, in favor of the City of
Bangor. This action will make the City's tax title more marketable
under the Maine Title Standards. The City would take possession of
all six properties, and would become responsible for demolition of
the three remaining structures. Ultimately, the City would attempt
to sell the six lots, to recover our demolition costs and the back
tax bills.
Dan Wellington, Ken Tsoulas, and Norm Heitman have worked
very hard to resolve issues relating to the original 15 properties,
and should be congratulated for achieving a result that avoids a
potentially large expense for Bangor taxpayers, and recovers some
value from the properties already sold, for the benefit of George
Tsoulas.