Newnan Council accomplishes much in 12 minute meeting | News

Matt Murray, code enforcement officer for the city, said the house has been deteriorating for a long time.

“This property came to our attention back actually last summer,” Murray said. “The lot was getting very overgrown and the roof was starting to show some severe damage.”

The home was part of an estate and staff sent a notice to Martha Owens and Juanita Mitchell through the estate.

“They did cut back the overgrowth, but unfortunately the roof has continued to deteriorate pretty rapidly,” Murray said. “There’s a large hole in the roof in the back of the property and now there’s holes starting to appear in the front.”

Staff estimates that, at this point, the cost of the repairs will exceed 50 percent of the home’s assessed tax value, he said. Staff recommended the council members give the owner 45 days to either repair or demolish the structure.

Owens, who attended the public hearing, said the home had been her mother’s, but as one of 13 children, the family had not been able to come to a decision about what to do with it. Currently, there are only four children left, all in their 70s, she said.

“We are planning on demolishing it,” Owens said. “It’s in really bad shape. … I’m hopeful that will be the end of it.”

She said that she had already contacted some companies about demolishing the house and felt it could be done within 45 days.

The council members approved the recommendation of staff that she be given the 45 days to demolish the home.

In other business council members:

– Accepted a $176,458-bid from Douglasville-based…