The Pulaski County Commissioners this week tabled a discussion regarding an old, run-down county building shrouded in confusion. Maintenance Director Morry DeMarco told the commissioners that the Fletchers building owned by the county has been out of sight and out of mind for many, many years, but it was recently brought to his attention and he noticed the building has gotten to be in horrible condition.
DeMarco said that someone had informed him that the roll-up doors at the building on South Street have become extremely rusted and the building is in such bad condition that it is unsafe and poses a hazard because if someone were to try to open or close one of the doors, it is liable to fall out and hurt someone. Morry said the building is also surrounded by trash and junk, and he sent a letter to the building’s previous occupants, giving them 30 days to clean the property up with a deadline of Jan. 20. DeMarco said they have been working on it and getting it cleaned up, and said they are very nice people to work with.
The commissioners also learned from DeMarco that there are no working lights in the building, none of the three fans are operational, no gas heaters work, and there’s a water moisture problem. The two windows in the building have been broken out, and there is a large hole in the back of the building near the electrical box that is punched all the way through. DeMarco said this hole is allowing water to run between the walls. On top of that, all the manhole covers are plugged up and the drains are clogged.
While the county still owns the building, Auditor Shelia Garling was unable to find a lease agreement, contract, or any paperwork on the property. The county is also still paying for the electric and gas – though, it can’t be much since no appliances work – but DeMarco said he is unable to calculate the total cost because the building is on the same meter as other nearby county buildings.
The commissioners tabled the discussion to allow further investigation, and also tabled the opening of bids for replacing doors at the building.
