Henry County affirms remediation order for Rainree motel after inspector flags structural, fire hazards

Henry County commissioners voted unanimously on June 10 to affirm an unsafe-building order that directs remediation work at the Rainree motel after county staff described significant structural deterioration and fire risks.

County inspector Scott told the board the problems stem from a mezzanine collapse several years ago and progressive water damage that has created a large hole and exposed, delaminating concrete. "It's in pretty bad shape. I'm not an engineer, but my opinion is it looks unsafe until I'm proven wrong," Scott said, summarizing the site assessment and the inspector's concerns about stored property near the damaged pool area.

The order approved by the commissioners requires removal of stored property from the pool area, elimination of points of access to that area, signage to bar entry, and barricading of suites with direct access to the pool until a licensed structural engineer evaluates the roof and recommended repairs are completed. The board also directed that structural repairs be designed and approved by a licensed engineer or architect and that necessary state design releases and building permits be obtained.

County staff explained the enforcement path if the property owner does not comply: the county can undertake repairs and then seek to recover costs through the courts; as staff noted, that recovery process can ultimately include a forced sale of the property to satisfy liens if recovery attempts fail.

The motion to affirm the order was made, seconded and carried 3-0. The board recorded timelines in the order for smaller items and larger repairs (staff presented 10-, 45- and 60-day benchmarks), and staff said the order had already been delivered to the property. The county did not announce a fine at the meeting; it instead emphasized remediation and engineering review as the immediate requirements.

The board's action clears the path for inspections and required design work; if the owner fails to comply, staff said the county will pursue legal steps to effectuate repairs and recover costs.