Over a year and a half, the City of Ellinwood has tried to clean up two dilapidated buildings on Main Street, only to face near disastrous consequences. It’s a cautionary tale that has been played out in several Kansas communities where buildings, left to deteriorate with taxes unpaid, become the responsibility of the communities where they stand. Here is a timeline of events surrounding the Ellinwood properties.
• City staff informed the council 100 and 102 North Main were to be sold at the county tax sale in October, 2013.
• November 12, 2013 it was reported Mayor Koelsch, representing the City of Ellinwood attended a County tax sale and purchased the two buildings at 100 and 102 North Main Street along with two other properties. The council ratified the purchases.
• In December, the deeds on the properties purchased had been received.
• At the January, 2014 city council meeting, it was reported that the city staff had secured the buildings and placed black plastic in the windows of the property. City Administrator Robert Peter expressed concern in regard to the connecting wall between the property (102 North Main) and the Batchman property and suggested having an engineer examine the south wall of the Batchman property to make sure it would not collapse upon the demolition of the two buildings. He would contact Nelson Stone of Stone Sand Company and set up a meeting to include Mark Batchman to survey the property, according to the minutes of the Jan. 14, 2014 meeting.
• In February, it was reported that Nelson Stone had inspected the buildings and did not feel the south wall of the Batchman property would be compromised during demolition. Stone Sand Company, Inc. presented a proposal for the demolition of the two buildings at the March, 2014 meeting. The council accepted the bid for $27,400 to remove the buildings. It would be several months before work began. According to the August, 2014 council meeting minutes, the city was still waiting to hear from Nelson Stone regarding a date of demolition for the buildings. Finally a date was set. Tuesday, Sept. 16 demolition would begin.
• According to the Batchman’s at the Tuesday’s city council meeting, that’s when their troubles really began. As Stone began tearing down the building next to theirs, the south wall of Cutting Edge Hair and Nails Salon was compromised. Work was halted.
• The October, 2014 council meeting minutes noted that an engineer would return to look at the demolition work being done on the Main Street buildings. Not further mention is made in the city council minutes for November or December, and January minutes were not available online.
The Ellinwood City Council was visited by business owners Cassie and Mark Batchman at Tuesday’s meeting held at the Ellinwood City Office. They were there to clear the air and inquire what could be done to expedite the repairs to their building located at 104 North Main, which was compromised during the demolition of a neighboring building owned by the city in September. They operate Cutting Edge Hair and Nail salon out of the building, as well as provide offices for two other businesses. For six months, as they have waited, they’ve watched their dreams crumble away.
“It’s been six months now, and I know you haven’t sued me and I know I haven’t sued you, and I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Cassie Batchman said. During that time, she and her husband, Mark, have been called to meet with EBH structural engineers with little notice several times, but have yet to hear from the city about what is to be done, she said.
“We’re not sure what we are expected to do, so please tell us if there is something we should be doing,” she said.
The city purchased the neighboring two buildings at a tax sale in October, 2013, and hired Nelson Stone and Stone Sand Company to demolish the buildings. City Administrator Robert Peter met with Stone and Mark Batchman early on to address whether there was any danger of the adjoining wall falling in, and was assured by Stone that it would not be a problem, according to minutes of the City Council’s February 2014 meeting.
“We haven’t complained, but our lives have been turned upside down,” she said. She recently learned her insurance for the building would be dropped, and because she carries a mortgage, she doesn’t know what will happen. In addition, without liability coverage, her family’s savings are now at risk. The stylists renting booths in her establishment are nervous about remaining, and she’s losing customers, she said.
When she finished, Peters responded. He admitted that he had received several calls from concerned council members about rumors of law suits, which he confirmed had not been filed. He stated he was under the impression that “things were going well with EBH,” which Council member Irlan Fullbright echoed.
“As far as your insurance goes, I have no quick answers,” Peters said. “I will contact your attorney tomorrow and we will see if we can’t get things moving at a faster pace.”
