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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1965-05-17 Regular Meeting MINUTES - REGUL/',R MEETING of the LA FORTE CITY COMM/SS/ON, LA PORTS, TEXAS May 97, 9965 MEMBE.~2S OF THE COMM, / SS! ON PRESENT : Mayor H. P. Pfeiffer, Commissioners Tom Osburn, Lois Compton, Russell Shepherd and W. A. Stabs, Jr. N,`EMBERS OF THE CO/dM/SSlON ABSEN': None OTh'-r,R rlT~ OFFICIALS ~,~SEI~r: especial Legal Couns-l Knox Askins, Cicy Engineer N. Carlos Smith, Water Superintendent Lymen Cunningham, Chief of Poltce N. F. Freeman, Jr., Fire Marshall H. G. Crofoot, and City Clerk Marilyn Kelley. PRESIDING: Mayor Pfeiffer + + + 9. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 3, 9965 and Special Meeting of May 5, 9965 were r ad and approved with the following amendment. Special Meeting, May 5, 9965 /ten No. 2 - amended to read "Approximate Cost 67' @ .55 per sq. foot. + + + 2. Commissioner Osburn made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Stabs that the City defer final actton on Danaldson Street until its next regular meeting of June 7, 9965, so that the Morrow Estate could complete its survey of the intereectton of Donaldson, Blackwell and Roscoe Streeis. Motion carried. + + + 3. Mrs. C. L. Trainer, 402 South Stxth Street, appeared before the Commission requesting approval of 696 North Forth Street as the location of a Nursery School and Kindergarten. • • 4. The Board on Inspection of the City of La Porte submitted its written report on the circumstance and condition of the building located on Lot 21, Block 59, Town of La Forte, Harris County, Texas, to the members of the Commission and City Attorney. The report of the Board on Inspection was received by the City Commission and is attached to these minutes as "Exhibit A", and made a part here of for all purposes. The report of the Board of Inspection revealed it to be the opinion of the majority of the Board that said Building is in Fact a nuisance. Upon motion by Commtss{over Stabs, seconded by Commissioner Osburn, the Commission ordered the City Cierk to notify the owner in wrtting as provided in section 4, (1)(b) of said Ordinance 502, that a hearing will be held at 7:00 P. M., on June 7, 1965, at the Commission Chamber, City Hall, La Porte, Texas, at which time the Commission shall hear evidence of the Board, and that such hearing sha1G be continued from day and day until all evidence offered by the City or the owner shall have been received. Motion carried. + + + 5. Commissioner Osburn made amotton, seconded by Commisstoner Compton that Ordinance No. 716 be passed on first and final readtng. Motion carried. CAPTION: AN ORDINANCE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND PROMOTE THE PUBLIC WELFARE OF THE CITY OF LA FORTE, TEXAS, BY PROVIDING FOR THE FILLING UP AND DRAINAGE OF LOTS THAT SHALL HAVE UNWHOLESOME PLACE OR PLACES WHERE STAGNANT Ih'ATER MAY ACCUMULATE THEREON; REQUIRING OWNERS OR OCCUPANTS OF LOTS IN THE CITY OF LA FORTE, TEXAS, TO KEEP SAID LOTS FREE FROM WEEDS, BRUSH, RUBBISH AND OTHER UNSIGHTLY OR INSANITARY MATTER; PROVIDING FOR NOTICE TO BE GIVEN TO OWNERS OF LOTS /N CASE OF FAILURE OF OWNER TO MAKE LOTS SANITARY AND SIGHTLY THAT THE SAME MAY BE DONE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CITY OF LA PORTS; ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM CHARGE OF TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS 025.00) IN CASES WHERE IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE BY THE CITY OF LA FORTE; PROVID- lNG FOR THE FIXING OF A LIEF! AGA/HST SUCH LOTS FOR SUCH IMPROVEMENTS; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH; PROVIDING THAT ANY PERSON VIOLATING THE TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE DEEMED GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND UPON CONVICTION SHALL BE FINED IN ANY SUM NOT LESS THAN TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($25.00) NOR MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) AND EACH DAY OF VIOLATION SHALL BE DEEMED A SEPARATE OFFENSE; AND PROVIDING A SAVING CLAUSE. + + + • 6. A motion was made by Commisstoner Compton, seconded by Commissioner Shepherd that Dan Kennedy be desig- nated Health Officer responsible for enforcing Ordinance No. 796. Motion carried. + + + 7. Commisstoner Shepherd made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Osburn that the Ctty Clerk be authorized to transfer .9,000 from Bayshore Savings and Loan, "Airport Savings Account" to La Porte State Bank "Airport Fund". Motion carried. + + + 8. Commissioner Osburn made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Shepherd authorizing the purchase of a Sewer Rodding Machine at approximately .$450. Motion carried. + + + 9. A motion was made by Commissioner Shepherd, seconded by Commisstoner Stabs that two temporary men be hired for a period not to exceed three months, to • assist with the smoke program. Motion carried. + + + 90. Commissioner Osburn made a mottos, seconded by Commissioner Shepherd, and carried, that the following Purchase Orders by approved. #x`4433 Mabry Foundry ~ 986.94 $4443 Zep Manufacturing Co. 294.50 + + + 99. Commissioner Compton made a mottos, seconded by Commisstoner Osburn that payment to Uvalde Rock Asphalt for .792.38 be approved. Motion carried. + + + 92. A motion was made by Commtsstoner Osburn, seconded by Commisstoner Compton to ratify the employment of Draftsman James Wehlan at X2.96 per hour. Motion carried. + + + • • 93. Commissioner Shepherd made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Osburn that James F. Beck be increased for $ 9.62 per hour to ~ 2.00 per hour. Motion carried. + + + THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS AT HAND, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED. H. P. PFEIFFER Mayor , ATTEST MARILYN KELLEY City Clerk CITY OF LA FORTE COMMISSIONERS LOTS J. COMPTON TOM W. OSBURN RUSSELL SHEPHERD W. A. STABS. JR. "C.ateat~a~j to tlc meek" LA FORTE, TEXAS 77571 May 4, 1965 Honorable H. P. Pfeiffer, Mayor Honorable Lois J. Compton, Commissioner Honorable Tom W. Osburn, Commissioner Honorable Russell Shepherd, Commissioner Honorable W. A. Stabs, Jr., Commissioner Mr. Knox W. Ask ins, City Attorney City of La Porte La Porte, Texas Re: Inspection report on building located on Lot No. 21, Block No. 59, Town of La Porte, Harris County, Texas Gentlemen and Lady: MAYOR H. P. PFEIFFER CITY CLERK MARILYN KELLEY Pursuant to your request of May 3, 1965, the undersigned, members of the Board of Inspection under ©rd finance No. 502, of the City of La Porte, have completed an inspection of the above described • premises. This letter is to set out the circumstances and condi- tion of the above described property. The property consists of a two-story wooden frame building, lo- cated at 206 West Main Street, in the central business district of the City of La Porte, commonly known as the M & M Bar building. The building is old, and in a dilapidated condition, and has been vacant for several years. The front door to the structure is not locked, and it is apparent that vagrants and other individuals have been entering the buil- ding from time to time. The back door is locked, but the glass in the door is broken out. The first floor is a filthy mess, with paper, boxes, rags, gas tanks, broken furniture, on the floor, which floor is rotting. The siding is off in several places, rot- ting, and the sills are gone. The accumulation of trash is un- sanitary, and is a definite fire hazard. The one entrance to the upstairs is in the rear, as the front stairs have already been torn down. The rear stairs are in bad condition, with several bad steps, and some steps entirely missing, and are in a very unsafe condition. The rear upstairs door is • open, which also makes for easy entrance for transient people, M ~ • . Hon. H. P. Pfeiffer, Et Al Page 2 May 4, 1965 who have used the same as a place to sleep, drink, and to use the floor as a toilet many times. The second floor, like the first, is in a very unsanitary condition. The room is cluttered with old paper, rags, a mattress, boxes, bottles, and other items of fur- niture, inviting a place for fire to start. The wallpaper hangs from the overhead, and the windows are broken in most places, and the floor is rotting away in places. The entire building is infested with termites, and is definitely unsuitable for human habitation. The building is probably the single worse fire hazard in the City of La Porte. Because of its condition, the surrounding buildings have been "penalty rated" for fire insurance purposes. As stated above, transients and vagrants have used the building, and six different fires have been started on the second floor by such persons, on the mattresses, probably from cigaret smoking. • Because of its unsound structural condition, the building is lean- ing, mainly because the sills, floor joists, and floors are rotted through. The building in question is immediately adjacent to another buil- ding, containing an apartment on its second floor, and the present tenant in the apartment is an elderly woman. The subject building is a serious fire hazard, and, should it catch on fire, there is serious doubt if the elderly tenant in the adjoining apartment could be safely rescued by the fire department. Further, it is un- questionable that the resulting fire would communicate to buildings on both the east and west sides of the subject building. Therefore, it is our opinion that the subject building, for want of repair; by reason of age; by reason of its dilapidated condition; by reason of the fact that it is and has been vacant for some time, and has been used by vagrants and transients; by reason of the bad condition of the walls, and lack of guards against fire, is a fire hazard, of a very serious nature, and is so situated as to endanger the person and property of others, and endangers the safety of life and property in surrounding buildings. C~ ~ • Hon. H. P. Pfeiffer, Et Al Page 3 May 4, 1965 By reason of the dilapidated condition of the building, particu- larly the sills, floor joists, and floors, it is our opinion that the building could not be rendered safe, and its present condition as a fire hazard could not be abated, by any means short of to- tally demolishing the building and complete removal of the scrap and refuse from the property. Conclusion: By reason of the state of disrepair in which it is maintained, the building on the subject property is a nuisance; the conditions which make it a nuisance cannot be corrected with- out making repairs that would amount to a substantial reconstruc- tion of the building. Respectfully submitted, BOARD OF INSPECTION, CITY OF LA PORTE Build in nspector ~~ r Sanitary Engineer a ire Chief •