First item on the agenda was to hear any public comment regarding the property located at 422 S. Finley and issue any necessary orders regarding the substandard structure. Code Enforcer Jeff Kidd addressed the commissioners regarding his findings on the structure.
“It’s been pretty bad for quite some time and has been a blight in the area. We’ve had quite a few complaints on it-people going in and out of it staying in there and starting fires in it during the winter months. We’ve tried to work with people in the past about getting it down and now we’re bringing it back in front of the commission again to go ahead and finish what we started. We want to take the house down and nobody is wanting to contest it.”
A motion to close the public hearing regarding the structure was closed after no one came forward to discuss the property and the commission approved a 30-day demolition order.
Next was to hear any public comment regarding the property at 601 N. Wynne and issue any necessary orders regarding the substandard structure.
“That one had a fire about three months ago and you can’t salvage it. The whole center of it is burned out. We and the fire marshall recommend condemning the house and removing it.”
A motion to close the public hearing regarding the structure was closed after no one came forward to discuss the property and the commission approved a 30-day demolition order.
Next was to hear any public comment regarding the property at 445 S. Graham and issue any necessary orders regarding the substandard structure.
“That one has been unsecured-no front or back doors, missing windows. I’ve gone in myself and it’s very boarded up, the floor is starting to buckle and the drywall on the ceiling is falling in from the roof leaks. It looks like people have been in and out of it and just kind of destroyed it. Code enforcement have gone and cleaned it up a couple of times in the past, but at this time we want to move forward and recommend to you guys that we remove it.”
An individual who bought the property next door to the structure came forward to address the commission.
“My name is Heather and I bought the property next door and we would like to have the property next to that. We bought 441 S. Graham, but we don’t know where the lady is. We’ve been looking for her and can’t find her and the tax office doesn’t know if she’s alive or dead, but we are interested in the property. Not the house, just the property.”
The commission advised the individual to speak with Code Enforcement to help with the matter, to which Jeff also stated he couldn’t find the owner either nor her next of kin.
“That’s when it proposes a challenge,” City Manager Shane Stokes said. “We will have to go through the condemnation process and the cost of that would be put as a lien on the property. We can work with you and if we can locate an owner, we can help you get in touch with them and see if you can work out a deal. If they choose to go through the condemnation process today, we will start that process today to take the structure down. If we get a contact for the property, we would certainly share that.”
“Once it goes through the delinquent tax property process and they’ve been delinquent for a certain amount of time, it gets turned over for collection then it has to go to the sheriff’s for sale and it’s not sold there, then it becomes city property and we auction it off. So we can keep you in the loop as this process goes on and there’s an opportunity for you to purchase the property.”
The public hearing was closed regarding the structure and an order was issued a 30-day demolition order.
Next was to consider approving the minutes of the April 14, 2025 regular meeting and to excuse the absence of Mayor DeFever from that meeting, which were approved.
Next was to adopt a the second and final reading of Ordinance No. 1819, revising Article 10.02, Section 21 of the City of Pampa Code of Ordinances, providing an increase to the plat filing fees, which was approved.
Next was to consider approving the list of disbursements dated March 2025, which was approved.
Next was to consider approving on first reading Ordinance No. 1820, amending the revenues and appropriations for the support of the City of Pampa for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2024 and ending September 30, 2025, which was approved.
Next was to consider adopting Resolution No. R25-012, authorizing the Mayor Pro-Tem to enter into an Interlocal Agreement with Panhandle Regional Planning Commission for 911 service and equipment, which was approved.
The City Commission then went into a closed executive session and reconvened with one item left on the agenda, which was to consider awarding the bid for the Water Utility Generator Project, which all bids were rejected and requested to start over. The motion was approved and the meeting was adjourned.
