City Board 2 Jan. 2019: Condemnations, donations and hiring approval

The New Albany Board of Aldermen has scheduled a Feb. 5 condemnation hearing for an old warehouse building located at the railroad yard just north of downtown.

The building is believed to be about 120 years old. It is of brick construction typical of that period, with walls that are three brick thick. Its outside dimensions are approximately 80 by 95 feet. It has not been occupied for a number of years. The historic building was formerly a grocery warehouse and is located at 201 Randolph Street.

Deteriorated brick work of building targeted for condemnation.

Code Enforcement Officer Eric Thomas told the aldermen at their regular Jan. 2, 2019, meeting that the roof of the Randolph St. building has caved in, and that he believes it is unsafe. He asked the board to schedule the condemnation hearing.

At Thomas’s request the city board also set a Feb. 5 hearing to consider condemnation of a house at 702 Parish Street.

Police Chief Chris Robertson told the board that HCT Ambulance Service of Memphis has offered to donate a used 2009 model-year ambulance to the New Albany Police Department (NAPD). HCT operates the ambulance service associated with Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County.  Robertson said the vehicle would be used by the NAPD Special Response Team as a deployment vehicle and command center.

The board authorized Johnny Epting, the city’s Parks and Recreation Director, to hire a new full-time employee for that department.

The board approved the minutes of its December meeting, authorized payment of the city’s bills and handled other routine items.