By Patrick Adrian
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BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. — The Village Trustees told Chris Glennon, owner of 66 Atkinson St., that they must proceed with the legal groundwork to demolish the condemned property, saying that they must put public safety first.
Last night, the trustees ratified their decision made on Tuesday, Oct. 29, to authorize the municipal staff to enforce the standing order on 66 Atkinson St. that recommended the building be demolished should Glennon fail to permanently stabilize the structure and roof.
The trustees’ vote does not signify a plan to demolish. Rather, it authorizes municipal staff to begin conversations, research and legal paperwork toward that end goal.
Village resident Elijah Zimmer advocated for giving Glennon more time to work with historic preservationists to find a way to save the historic building from demolition.
“People really want this building to stay around,” Zimmer told the board. “This building can provide an important space for our community and is part of our historic neighborhood.”
Zimmer said he has joined Glennon as a project coordinator in an effort to save the building. They have been working with the Preservation Trust of Vermont, a nonprofit historic preservation group. Zimmer said he and Glennon hope to secure $75,000 for another building assessment.
Trustees, however, said that while they admire Zimmer’s passion and dedication, the steps are “too little, too late.”
“We have to think about public safety,” said Trustee James McAuliffe.
McAuliffe told Zimmer that a $75,000 grant wouldn’t be enough to temporarily stabilize the roof, much less renovate. Engineer David Hinginger, contracted by the village to assess the building, reported in September that the building’s condition has worsened and is not safe for workmen to be inside it.
In a report from 2018, Hinginger determined the building to be “structurally unsafe.” Among the chief concerns, the interior roof trusses were failing and unable to support the roof or second floor ceiling. Additionally, heavy slate roof shingles were coming loose and falling to the ground.
The trustees have given Glennon over a year to address structural repairs. But on Oct. 8, the trustees learned from a follow-up inspection on Sept. 27 that none of the ordered improvements had been addressed.
Village President Debra Wright told Glennon that she was “sad, but serious” about the village’s need to take action.
“I wish that the previous owners had taken care of it,” Wright said. “I wish it had come to our attention sooner, then maybe we could have found a buyer who had the money to restore it.”
Wright held up a large piece of slate shingle that had recently fallen from the roof of the building.
“This is what we are worried about,” Wright said. “The elementary school is right by this building.”
Glennon said he still disagrees with Hinginger’s assessment, calling it an “opinion.”
“The problem is not in the slate,” Glennon told the trustees. “The problem is the trusses.”
Glennon said that representatives from the Preservation Trust of Vermont were coming this week and next to look at the building.
Trustee Jonathan Wright told Glennon that the village’s process will take considerable time, and that the trustees have made no decision yet beyond consulting with city staff and Village Attorney Ray Massucco.
“Please continue to push forward on your plans,” Wright said. “Our work will still take some time.”
The trustees planned to meet with Massucco in executive session later in the meeting. The outcome of that session was too late to be included in this story. However, Debra Wright said that the trustees would likely ratify any decision in that discussion at their next regular meeting.
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