By JOSH COTTON

jcotton@timesobserver.com

County officials may have another avenue in efforts to bring a burned Tidioute property to the ground.

Last week, the Warren County Redevelopment Authority was granted conservatorship over the property at 3 Economy Street which burned in May 2016.

But County Planner Dan Glotz outlined another avenue during Tuesday’s RDA meeting.

Part of the challenge presented in last week’s hearing is that it was believed there was a mortgage on the property.

“We think it’s a line of credit that may or may not have been utilized,” Glotz said.

He said the property had a starting bid price of around $800 and suggested that “maybe (the) thing to consider if the RDA buy it.” He suggested the RDA could approach Tidioute Borough about “cleaning up around the exterior (and) get the junk cleaned up around the outside… get the perimeter cleaned up and secure the building at the first floor level.”

The RDA, then, could line up the funding for the demolition and “sell it (the lot) for appraised value.”

He said the lot was “very small…. The lot is the size of the house and then a couple of feet each way.”

Chief Clerk Pam Matve, who also serves on the authority, suggested checking to see if tax claim would wave the minimum fee if the RDA were to purchase the property.

Authority Chairman Charles Barone said that this would circumvent the conservatorship process, noting there would be savings from avoiding additional court hearings.

“This (property) is a danger to the community as well,” Glotz said. “There’s a risk (with) damage from that fire (that the) walls could start falling down.”

He noted that there are houses in close proximity to this structure.

The RDA also considered the property at 268 Main St. in Tidioute, owned by Vicky White, for the first time.

Glotz said the property was declared blighted by the Blighted Property Review Committee on July 19.

He said it is his “understanding that the owner does not have the resources to remove the structure from the property” and that the property is up for judicial sale in May 2019.

Barone suggested the RDA not act until after the judicial sale.