By Tom Gilchrist
For The Advertiser
MAYVILLE — Village Council members gave James A. Hascall II a deadline and a piece of their mind Tuesday night at a special meeting on the proposed demolition of Hascall’s commercial building at 6105 Fulton St.
Hascall, of Fremont Township, said he wants to create two upstairs apartments in the vacant building declared “unsafe” in May by a hearing officer. But village President Clare Fryers wasn’t impressed with drawings Hascall gave to the council showing the structure’s location, rear elevation and front elevation.
“My great-granddaughter could have drawn them,” Fryers told Hascall. “No offense to you, buddy, but that’s the way it is.”
Council members voted 5 to 1 to give Hascall until the Sept. 17 council meeting to obtain all construction-related permits, and to submit a site plan along with a start date and completion date for an improvement project.
Trustee Wanda Topham was absent and Fryers, the lone opponent of Trustee Cecilia C. Kapcia’s motion, suggested the council also require Hascall to pay a $10,000 bond to the village, which the building owner would receive back upon completion of the project.
“I’d also like to see a bond (posted) to make sure he does it. I don’t have a whole lot of faith in this process,” said Fryers, who has said the building’s roof has fallen in and has remained that way for several years.
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Hascall spoke against the idea of paying the bond.
“That takes the money right out of getting everything fixed,” Hascall said. “I mean, you’re talking about a lot of money here to fix it up.”
Following discussion, council members chose not to require Hascall to pay the bond.
“I want you to be successful, Jim,” Kapcia said.
Hascall said he’s been in contact with a building contractor for a few months related to improving his building in downtown Mayville that abuts buildings owned by Caro Community Hospital and Spring of Life Community Church.
“I have talked to him since June, and I’ve said ‘How quick can you get to this?’ and then it gets delayed again,” Hascall said. “This whole process is getting delayed.”
Hascall told The Advertiser he presented drawings on Tuesday in accordance with a village zoning requirement.
“All I presented tonight was the stuff that’s on the application for the zoning permit,” Hascall said. “(Fryers) tried to make it out that his (great) granddaughter could have drawn those papers, but all they asked for … was the location, shape and dimension of the parcel.”
Hascall gave council members a projected start date of Oct. 1. He indicated plumbing and electrical work could be done eventually, but said “I would like to get this (building) at least roughed in before it starts getting a little cooler out.”
“You gonna clean the mold and mildew out of the building?” Fryers asked.
“Well, yeah, you can just power-wash that off,” Hascall said. “All of that stuff has to be cleaned up.”
Fryers said village officials have extended deadlines for Hascall already this year. Trustee William Barkowska emphasized that Hascall has two weeks to save the building from demolition.
“If you come in here on Sept. 17th and say you don’t have those (required permits), I don’t think your effort’s there,” Barkowska said. “I’m sorry, Jim, I know you say you wanna save it, but if it was me, I could have done it a little quicker.”