Demolition halted on Main Street after contractor voids agreement

A scheduled demolition on East Main Street in Scio has come to a halt after asbestos abatement was completed. Mayor James Clark addressed the issue at the Feb. 25 council meeting, saying the job will not be completed and citing a letter from the Harrison County commissioners to Krissy Wahlers, environmental programs manager with the Office of Community Infrastructure in Columbus.

“They’re walking away from it,” Clark told council, referring to Stull Excavating.

Clark said he was not blaming the contractor, adding that the contract allowed Stull to make that decision based on circumstances beyond the company’s control. Clark said the building was left unsecured and that people entered and removed items, including “most of the flooring,” making the structure unsafe.

“I’m not faulting him on that one bit,” Clark said.

Clark then referenced the letter, which stated that “the contractor has since followed the proper procedures to void the agreement due to circumstance beyond his control.”

“As we explained, delays have been compounded by the adjoining property owner, whose structure is physically connected to 110-112,” the letter said.

The letter said the adjoining property owner requested and received copies of contractual documents involving the abatement and demolition contractors. It also stated the demolition contractor’s insurance carrier requested interior photographs of the connecting wall, but the adjoining property owner did not provide them “despite repeated requests.”

The discussion later returned to the issue, and Clark became more blunt.

“The issues were that it was left open and people came in and took bricks and flooring and stuff and was unsafe," Clark said. "The idiots next door at the tax business would not let the construction people in to investigate the shared wall-slash roof system.”

The following Monday, Positano’s was contacted by phone by a person who wished to remain anonymous and said they had nothing to do with the situation, directing questions to the county.

“Don’t believe everything you hear either,” the individual said.

Clark said the insurance company would not insure Stull for the project because it could not get a clear look at the construction work involved.

“Positano’s is making it very difficult on us to get that building torn down,” Clark said.

Clark said the village is not liable because the property is privately owned.

“Is it bad? Yes, but it’s not our property,” he told council.

The commissioners’ letter also stated that two other contractors were contacted but refused the work because of the situation and their work schedules.