Providence council votes to sell house on Nesbit Street

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Providence City Council met in a brief session last Tuesday night, joined by delegates of the Providence Elementary “City Council” who were on hand to study exactly how city government worked.

Council member Shannon Layton was appointed Mayor Pro Tem in the absence of Mayor Eddie Gooch. Also missing from the meeting were council members Tom Skinner and Scott Frederick.

The only item of business on the agenda was a motion to declare a piece of property surplus so that the city could sell it.

“The city acquired 209 Nesbit Street in July of 2013 from Mary Cain,” said City Attorney Richard Peyton. “The residence has not been occupied in some time. Ms Cain donated the property to the city in order to stop her property tax.”

Peyton told the council that a few of the neighboring property owners had made inquiries about purchasing the property to prevent their own property value from dropping.

The four members of the council who were present voted to designate the property surplus so that it could be sold.

Council member Keith Ferrell expressed his concern about the property code enforcement board.

“I periodically have people ask me about certain property around town that has become rundown,” he said. “I don’t know. That is something for the property code enforcement board.”

“They have not met in some time,” Peyton said. “There have not been sufficient funds for them to demolish any structures.”

Ferrill pointed out that just because they did not have the funds to demolish any structures did not mean they could not meet to work on finding buyers for some of the properties the city has acquired.

In other businesses, Ferell mentioned that the city had requested a new franchise agreement from  Time Warner Cable.

“I think we need to get something in hand by March,” he said.

It was mentioned that Comcast’s recent purchase of Time Warner could cause that to be delayed.

Ferrell also mentioned that the city had not received an update from the Tourism Commission since last January, even though the council had requested to be kept up to date.