NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The four members present of the Hutchinson City Council heard once again from Joshua Joseph at their meeting on Tuesday. They remained unconvinced that his plan to turn the former rooms of the Atrium into storage and the convention center into retail would actually fly, so they made no changes to the current timeline.
"If he has a bond to tear the building down, then he can tear it down," said Mayor Greg Fast. "If he does not, then we tear it down."
Joseph argued that he could not get an insurer to authorize a $2 million bond. He thought he could get $1 million, but that didn't satisfy the council, because they don't believe he'll follow through. He also talked a lot about redevelopment, but not much about mitigation of the current hazards.
"What about those conditions?" asked City Attorney Paul Brown. "Our ordinance says the resolution shall fix a reasonable time, within which the repair or removal of such structure shall be commenced and shall require a cash bond sufficient to cover the cost of removal. That's where we're at currently. Have these things been addressed, if there's additional time given, it requires a cash bond."
The meeting where the final decision will be made is on October 1.