Eldorado city officials continue to worry about the condition of a building on Locust Street, and the upcoming Town and Country Days heightens the worries.
In early June, after the collapse of the roof a two-story building at 1338 and 1340 Locust Street, City Council declared something had to be done with all haste.
The desire to hastily fix the dangerous downtown eyesore was, at the time, accompanied by a warning from City Attorney C. Mart Watson that progress through the court systems may not be too hasty.
As the month of the largest festival in the community approaches, the building remains in disrepair and the city faces two obstacles, slow progress in the court system and at least one insurance company reluctant to give a “go” for any work by the city.
The structure has common walls with other structures on two sides.
Mayor Rocky James again expressed concerns at a Tuesday meeting of council. He said residents have been asking when the collapsed roof will be removed.
“We’ve got (City Attorney) Marty (Watson) on it. That’s about all we can do as a city,” he said.
The Town and Country Days Committee has been asked to not place any stands near the building and that, according to Commissioner Robbie Price, is costing the annual festival money.
“What really concerns me is the parade,” Ordinance Officer Billy Bradley said.
Should the building collapse during the parade, Bradley is fearful bricks would be launched across the street.
He said the added impact of parade traffic on Locust Street and blasts of noise from the parade could have an effect on the structure.
“All we can do is encircle it with barricades,” Street and Alley Commissioner J.B. James said.
He is not certain how long barricades could stand during the festival.
A suggestion of a barricade of plywood did not fly as such a structure could cause visibility problems for motorists and create a new liability for the city.
James said he is hopeful the matter can move through the courts before Town and Country Days.
