Council postpones action on unsafe house at 631 South 9th Avenue after police raise health concerns

Broken Bow — The City Council opened a public hearing at 6:06 p.m. on May 12 regarding the house at 631 South 9th Avenue, a property the minutes say was first deemed unsafe in October 2018 and which has received multiple extensions for remodeling. Chief of Police Steve Scott told the council he was concerned that the property's condition could cause disease and that children had been hiding in the building.

Councilmember Miller moved to open the hearing and later moved to postpone further action until the May 26 council meeting so that the landowner could be notified and given an opportunity to respond. The postponement motion passed with Ayes: Schmidt, Miller and Holcomb; Abstain: Myers. The minutes note this is the fourth time the matter has appeared before the council and that there had been no progress since the previous extension granted on October 23, 2019.

Mayor Rod Sonnichsen and councilmembers discussed the property's history of extensions dating back to 2018; the council took no enforcement action at the May 12 meeting and instead scheduled further consideration on May 26 so the owner can be notified and respond.