The City of Crawfordsville is taking steps to find new use for two more properties it wants back on the tax rolls.
The vacant lots, which sit on East South Boulevard next to Carpenter’s Barber Shop and on Milligan Street near Lakeside Book Company’s north plant, were transferred to the city by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners in a tax sale.
“When properties go through the tax sale process, at a certain point the county has the ability to assign them to local governments,” city attorney Kent Minnette explained to members of the Board of Works and Public Safety, which voted Wednesday to accept the tax sale certificates.
The move allows the city to begin the process of finishing the tax sale and acquire the property titles.
Mayor Todd Barton said the city plans to seek assistance from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to return the South Boulevard lot to “productive use.” The property has long been on city code enforcement’s mowing list.
“We’re very familiar with that parcel,” Barton said.
The city will work with adjoining property owners to address the Milligan Street property, Barton added.
Earlier this year, the city accepted the tax sale certificates for properties at 809 and 810 S. Walnut St.
The board also approved next year’s proposed sanitation, stormwater and central garage budgets. The proposed sanitation (trash service) budget totals $339,506 and the proposed stormwater budget is $663,416. The proposed central garage budget adds up to $287,272.
The budgets move on to the city council for final approval.
In other business, the board approved:
• A request from Wabash College to close Jennison Street from Will H. Hays Jr. Drive to Thornwood Road from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 13 for the Monon Bell Classic.
• A request from Brothers Pizza Company to block the first three parking spaces on Green Street in front of the restaurant from 2 to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 for a Santa Claus event.
• An annual agreement between the city and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana in the amount of $3,000 for the review of proposals before the Historic Preservation Commission.
• An agreement between the city and Tipstar Tree Services, LLC in the amount of $1,700 to remove three trees on the Sugar Creek Trail that are threatening a neighboring property.
• Code enforcement work order requests for trash removal from properties at 114 S. Grant Ave. owned by Michael and Diana Rumple; 708 S. Green St. owned by Margarita Gutierrez; 117 W. Chestnut St. owned by Harrison Market & Chestnut LLC; and 117 E. College St. owned by 1818 Michigan LLC; and mowing of the South Boulevard lot next to the barbershop and the property at 1100 W. Market St. owned by Mark Sipe.
