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Politics & Government

Oakdale Council Agrees to Wait Two Weeks Before Filing to Demolish Home

Oakdale City Council members said they feel bad for the man, who had no insurance when his home was destroyed in a fire, but it is time to move forward with demolition.

The owner of an Oakdale home destroyed by fire in late 2009 has two weeks before the city will seek a court order to demolish the home, the Oakdale City Council decided Tuesday night.

Progress on the house—located at 7356 Stillwater Blvd.—has moved much slower than a typical house fire case because owner Donald Brandt didn’t have insurance, and has had financial difficulties in moving on the project, said Oakdale Building Official Bill Schmitt.

Schmitt, City Administrator Craig Waldron and assistant to the administrator Dave Schaps met with Brandt before the meeting Tuesday and worked out a deal to give him two weeks before filing for the court order to give him a chance to secure a loan for demolition and construction, Schmitt said.

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“We want to get it cleaned up, we want to keep moving forward,” Schmitt said, “but we also want to give him one last opportunity.”

Brandt told the council that members of his church are willing to help him, and he’d like to do the demolition himself to save money.

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If the city paid for the demolition, the cost would be from $12,000 to $25,000, according to a report from Schmitt. The cost would be assessed to the property, and so the city would recoup the money when the property is sold, according to the report. Schmitt said he had no doubt the price of the land would be more than the city’s cost to demolish the home.

Council members said they felt bad about Brandt’s predicament, but they also felt that it was time for action on the property.

“If you can get your church or whoever to help, you’ve got 20 days, but it’s a big task and it really requires professionals,” said Council Member Stan Karwoski. “The residents around there—if you lived in eyesight of this, or if you’re selling a house in the area—it’s really a hindrance to just everyday enjoyment of the area and we really have to be fair to the residents around here.”

The city has been working with Brandt since the fire, Schmitt said, to help him clean up a junkyard they discovered behind the house and also help him through the building permit process. Without an approved construction loan, Schmitt said, he’s concerned Brandt could lose money he would spend on building permits.

If after the two-week period agreed to by the council the city files for a court order, Brandt will have 20 days to respond to the order, said City Attorney Jim Thomson.  

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