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A big hole in Hillsboro's business district
Council approves demolition of vacant buildings that are a public safety concern
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The downtown area of Hillsboro is facing the possibility of a large hole in its store fronts after the City Council unanimously approved resolutions that will lead to the demolition of buildings at 848 and 850 Water Ave. during its regular monthly meeting Monday night.

The pair of two-story buildings have been empty for years. Previously, one of them had housed a grocery store business, and the other had many incarnations, including a German restaurant and an antique store.

Both buildings also had apartments on the second floors.
Each ordinance reads, in part, that “the buildings on the properties are old, dilapidated, and so out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, and otherwise unfit for use such that it would be unreasonable to repair the building, that the building is a nonconforming structure, and the building inspector had further determined that the cost of rebuilding or repairing the building would exceed 50 per cent of the equalized value thereof as last published by the Department of Revenue.”

It further states that the City Administrator or his representatives are designated and authorized to give the owner of said premises a written order that states in the event the owner of the premises does not raze and remove the afore said building within 90 days from the date that the raze order is served, the Building Inspector and the City shall cause such buildings and foundations to be razed and to restore the site to a dust-free and erosion-free condition with all costs charged against the real estate and shall be a lien upon such real state and shall be assessed and collected as a special tax pursuant to Wis Stats.
Another similar ordinance pertaining to a building at 118 Mechanic Street was also unanimously approved by the Council.

That building formerly housed a Baptist church.

Mayor Greg Kubarski reported that the owner of that building is aware of the pending demolition and has asked for an extension to prepare a new building plan.

In other action, the Council unanimously:

• Declined to purchase Anti-Terrorism Insurance for the airport;

• Authorized a Pool Splash Pad Donations Savings Account under the direction of City Treasurer Lisa Johnson with Farmers State Bank;

• Approved a Street Project Bid;

• Approved a design change for Well # 3;

• Approved a resolution to vote for a Fire Association Agreement Amendment granting voting powers to the Association President, currently Mayor Kubarski;

• Approved a resolution stating that the Council had reviewed a Compliance Maintenance Annual Report on the city’s Waste Water Treatment Plant as required by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

• Approved a resolution that the Council, with the assistance of Mid-States Associates engineers, has designed a comprehensive bike trail and park improvement plan with specific elements to enhance the bike trail and Klopfleisch Park, and the city should begin exploring funding sources to implement the bike train extension and park improvement plans.