City’s legal battle over Neece house comes to end

A historic Clarendon home will be razed following the end of a long legal battle between the city and the property owner.

The Clarendon City Council approved a mediated agreement about the house at 602 Bugbee Avenue during its regular meeting last Thursday, November 10.

“It’s a long tragic story,” City Administrator David Dockery told the Enterprise, stating that old Neece house – also known as the Gentry house for the family of Donley County’s first sheriff, Al Gentry – will be demolished December 1.

City officials had code complaints on the house going back almost ten years, and repeatedly gave property owner Linda Lewis deadlines and extensions to bring the structure into compliance.

In January of this year, the city council ordered the property demolished and accepted a bid for that work. That led to another round of legal wrangling between the city and Lewis, which came to an end with mediation recently. As a result, the city will receive the property and proceed with demolition.

Dockery said Koetting Construction had the winning bid earlier this year and did not put an expiration date on the bid. Razing the house, which is more than 100 years old, and disposing of the wreckage will cost the city $20,000.

In other city business last week, the city council directed Dockery to negotiate an agreement with AW Broadband for a tower lease to bring expanded wireless internet options to town. Dockery reported that the final phase of the USDA grant to replace waterlines will begin this week on First Street, and discussions were held regarding the possibility of amending ordinances to address dilapidated buildings downtown in terms of facades in disrepair and windows broken.