WELLSVILLE - Ridding the village of eyesores is no easy task, in some cases taking years to accomplish, according to fire Chief William Smith.

Responding, in part, to comments made by a resident at the recent Village Council meeting concerning the need to demolish dilapidated structures, Smith spoke Tuesday about the progress he has made with the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).

Passed by Congress in 2008, the NSP is designed as a one-time funding provision for redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes.

Locally, $1.5 million is available for Carroll and Columbiana counties and the cities of East Liverpool and Salem.

In Wellsville, money will be earmarked for demolition of blighted residential structures, and Smith has identified 18 structures that will be targeted for demolition.

Before that can be done, however, a number of steps must take place, and he has been accomplishing those, one by one.

Identifying locations, inspecting the properties and taking photographs, preparing an inspection report, obtaining a title report, sending notices to owners, executing voluntary demolition agreements with owners if possible, advertising for those owners who do not respond are all steps that have been taken thus far.

Of the 18 targeted properties, Smith has managed to get signed agreements from 10 of the owners, agreeing to let the demolition take place with no further action on the village's part.

No easy feat, according to Smith, who said, "I've got (owners) scattered all over the place," in numerous states across the country.

A legal ad ran Tuesday in the Morning Journal, listing the remaining eight properties, notifying any owners or others with an interest in them that they have been declared dilapidated, unsafe, unsanitary or otherwise unfit for human habitation.

The ad will have to run once each week for the next six weeks, and interested parties are given 10 days from the last publication to respond in writing to the chief.

If the matter cannot be resolved, it goes to Common Pleas Court, where the judge decides whether or not the property is to be razed. Obviously, Smith said, this could take some time depending upon how long it takes for a court date to be set and hearings held.

Smith said not only do all these steps take time, but money, considering owners and other parties each must be notified by certified letter at $5 each, then notified again if court action is to be taken.

Factor in the fact that Smith must inspect the properties, which means he either has to be paid overtime after hours, or a part-time firefighter must be called in to cover for him during the daylight hours while he conducts the inspections.

"It's step by step. We can't just go in and tear down a house. There are legalities to this thing," he stressed.

Smith said much of the problem could be resolved by owners just agreeing to the demolition, which would then be undertaken at no cost to the owners, who retain ownership of the land. Smith said not only is the building razed, but the foundation is filled in and the lot seeded.

Those properties that have no outstanding liens can just be relinquished to the village, which would alleviate owners from paying future taxes on a vacant lot once demolition is complete.

With a few more steps to be taken on one property, and advertising just getting under way, Smith said actual demolition has not yet been scheduled, nor has the county Department of Development given a time line when the village might receive its funding for the project nor how much will be received.

Questions were posed to council earlier about why Salem and East Liverpool have started their projects, and Smith said those communities are included in phase one of the NSP while the village is included in phase two.

Properties for which owners are still being sought are: 226 18th St.; 327 Highland Ave.; 1421 Center St.; 640 Henry Ave.; 734 Main St.; 315 Ridge Ave.; 428 Broadway, and 310 Aten Avenue.

jgilbert@mojonews.com