The Columbia Board of Aldermen is continuing to push property owners to tear down or clean up blighted or overgrown properties.
The Board discussed 17 properties during its April 17 meeting as Building Inspector Lonnie Stringer gave updates and showed pictures.
One property that had been on this list, 723 D St., has been sold and the new owners are working on the property and house, according to Stringer.
“They’ve near about got it ready to live in,” he said. “I’d like for you to take no action on it.”
The Board voted to move forward with action to remove debris and clean 401 Eagle Day Ave.
“The owner of 518 Bullis St. is not here, though the property was supposed to have a hearing today,” Stringer said. “The last time we checked, the meter was pulled and the water was off. He said he was going to clean in up.”
The Board voted to begin demolition proceedings if no more action was taken within 10 days.
The Board also had to re-start the demolition process for the former Marion County Food Pantry on South High School Avenue due to a wrong address being entered into the resolution. Stringer also said that a property at 1023 Church St. had been cleaned and that one at 1110 Broadmoor Ave. had been torn down.
The Board also had a hearing scheduled for properties around 804 Oak Ave., and owner Marilyn Griffin discussed the concerns.
“I’m in the process of cleaning things out,” she said. “There are three houses and I’ve emptied the storage from them.”
Alderman at Large Edward Hough said he could see the progress.
“It’s an improvement,” he said. “Can we do some trimming of the hedges?”
Griffin promised to continue the cleanup and trim the hedges.
The Board also learned that a property located at 305 Richard St. was in the process of being cleaned. The Board scheduled hearings for demolition of two trailers behind Big K Pawn on Lumberton Road, 806 Beauvoir Ave. for a cleanup, 913 Askew St. for a cleanup, 1301 Park Ave. for a demolition and 312 E. Rankin St. for cleaning and mowing. The hearings will be set for the second meeting in May, on May 15 at City Hall.
• The Board approved seeking bids for a dump truck for the water department and opened bids for controls for water pumps, approving the low bid of $49,000 from Griner Drilling Service for the equipment. A second bid of $49,900 from T.L. Wallace Construction was also received.
• Water Supervisor Michael McDaniel also told the Board that a camera would be used to determine what was causing problems in several major sewer lines in the city.
• The Board approved sending Columbia Fire Department Capt. Reggie Crowther to driver operator class at the State Fire Academy.
