Some Say It's Not-So-Pretty in Pink
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
There is something several people in Bradford don’t think is pretty in pink. The Riddell House.
Sam Sylvester of the Historical Architectural Review Board said he was asked to attend Tuesday’s council meeting to talk about "the appropriateness of the recent pink job at the Riddell House.”
“Joe (Troutman) is a friend of mine and I appreciate (that) he’s doing what he’s doing. But if the HARB is to be effective, we need to see the request first. We have not seen the request," Sylvester said.
He said there are several other incidents in town where people have done work without contacting HARB, but he was just at the meeting to talk about the Riddell House.
City Clerk John Peterson said the city received several complaints, so he contacted commercial building inspector Mark Grassi. Grassi was told Tuesday morning the building was being repainted the same colors it had previously been painted.
“Photographs from Google Earth show that not to be the case,” Peterson said, adding that Grassi may revisit and take whatever action needs to be taken.
Peterson said, judging from the pictures, it appears the building was cream and green.
“I see nothing pink, at least in these photographs that I have,” Peterson said.
“As you know,” Troutman said. “I’ve worked very hard to try to clean the Riddell House up. Now, if you would all have went down and walked around the building and spent a little less time on Google, maybe, you would have seen the color is the same. It happens to be 20 years newer paint.”
He did say one spot in front was painted green, but that was before he was there.
“All I know is that I’m going to clean it up, and it’s going to be the colors I want,” Troutman said, “ which is the exact colors that are on there. I had them matched. So, if you have a problem with that, you better find somebody else to b***ch at. I’ve worked too hard to listen to this b*****t.”
Sylvester said he’s just doing his job and it’s not a vendetta against Troutman.
“Hopefully we can get it resolved,” Mayor Tom Riel said.
Also Tuesday, Bradford businessman John Kohler wanted to follow up on the questions he had at the last council meeting concerning code enforcement.
Councilman Ross Neidich, who oversees the code enforcement department, said pending hearings involving $14,000 worth of fines have been postponed until later this month.
Kohler said he spoke earlier on Tuesday with District Judge Dom Cercone, who told him a deal had been made to drop all the charges but one, provided the landlord (Edna Hallock) show some documentation.
If that were the case, the fines would be dropped from $14,000 to $500. He said to pay for 28 inspections, which she is being taken to court for, would cost $700.
“So I might as well not take care of my properties or call code (enforcement) if it’s cheaper for me not to do it,” Kohler said, adding that it’s the ordinance he’s concerned about. “What’s the motivation for me to abide by the law and take care of my properties? It makes no sense.”
Neidich said he knows she is being pursued through the board of health for stiffer penalties, and he doesn’t know if that had anything to do with the deal. Neidich also said he would need to know what’s meant by the “necessary paperwork,” and other particulars of the situation before he could answer any further questions about it.
“If it’s something of that significance,” asked OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews, “shouldn’t, at least, the department head be aware of the deal that’s being made?”
She wanted to know if someone on council should be informed of the decision being made as to “the amount of money, basically, being left on the table.”
Fire Chief Boo Coder said, before anyone speculates the deal, they should talk with Code Enforcement Officer George Corignani and ask what happened at the hearing.
Also Tuesday, council approved a special events waiver to Players Downtown to hold a benefit for Kids and Cancer on Mechanic Street from Main Street to West Washington Street and on Barbour Street from Mechanic to Bushnell Street.
The benefit will be from 3 to 8 p.m. on July 17.
And, for your listening pleasure:
Tragedy at the Bingo Hall.
WESB/WBRR News Director
There is something several people in Bradford don’t think is pretty in pink. The Riddell House.Sam Sylvester of the Historical Architectural Review Board said he was asked to attend Tuesday’s council meeting to talk about "the appropriateness of the recent pink job at the Riddell House.”
“Joe (Troutman) is a friend of mine and I appreciate (that) he’s doing what he’s doing. But if the HARB is to be effective, we need to see the request first. We have not seen the request," Sylvester said.
He said there are several other incidents in town where people have done work without contacting HARB, but he was just at the meeting to talk about the Riddell House.
City Clerk John Peterson said the city received several complaints, so he contacted commercial building inspector Mark Grassi. Grassi was told Tuesday morning the building was being repainted the same colors it had previously been painted.
“Photographs from Google Earth show that not to be the case,” Peterson said, adding that Grassi may revisit and take whatever action needs to be taken.
Peterson said, judging from the pictures, it appears the building was cream and green.
“I see nothing pink, at least in these photographs that I have,” Peterson said.
“As you know,” Troutman said. “I’ve worked very hard to try to clean the Riddell House up. Now, if you would all have went down and walked around the building and spent a little less time on Google, maybe, you would have seen the color is the same. It happens to be 20 years newer paint.”
He did say one spot in front was painted green, but that was before he was there.
“All I know is that I’m going to clean it up, and it’s going to be the colors I want,” Troutman said, “ which is the exact colors that are on there. I had them matched. So, if you have a problem with that, you better find somebody else to b***ch at. I’ve worked too hard to listen to this b*****t.”
Sylvester said he’s just doing his job and it’s not a vendetta against Troutman.
“Hopefully we can get it resolved,” Mayor Tom Riel said.
Also Tuesday, Bradford businessman John Kohler wanted to follow up on the questions he had at the last council meeting concerning code enforcement.
Councilman Ross Neidich, who oversees the code enforcement department, said pending hearings involving $14,000 worth of fines have been postponed until later this month.
Kohler said he spoke earlier on Tuesday with District Judge Dom Cercone, who told him a deal had been made to drop all the charges but one, provided the landlord (Edna Hallock) show some documentation.
If that were the case, the fines would be dropped from $14,000 to $500. He said to pay for 28 inspections, which she is being taken to court for, would cost $700.
“So I might as well not take care of my properties or call code (enforcement) if it’s cheaper for me not to do it,” Kohler said, adding that it’s the ordinance he’s concerned about. “What’s the motivation for me to abide by the law and take care of my properties? It makes no sense.”
Neidich said he knows she is being pursued through the board of health for stiffer penalties, and he doesn’t know if that had anything to do with the deal. Neidich also said he would need to know what’s meant by the “necessary paperwork,” and other particulars of the situation before he could answer any further questions about it.
“If it’s something of that significance,” asked OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews, “shouldn’t, at least, the department head be aware of the deal that’s being made?”
She wanted to know if someone on council should be informed of the decision being made as to “the amount of money, basically, being left on the table.”
Fire Chief Boo Coder said, before anyone speculates the deal, they should talk with Code Enforcement Officer George Corignani and ask what happened at the hearing.
Also Tuesday, council approved a special events waiver to Players Downtown to hold a benefit for Kids and Cancer on Mechanic Street from Main Street to West Washington Street and on Barbour Street from Mechanic to Bushnell Street.
The benefit will be from 3 to 8 p.m. on July 17.
And, for your listening pleasure:
Tragedy at the Bingo Hall.
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Comments
Keep up the good work Jose!