fitchburg officials, tenants say johnsonia owner uncooperative

$6.1M for Johnsonia inaccessible

By Paula J. Owen TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

FITCHBURG — The city is standing by, waiting to use part of $6.1 million in insurance money should the fire-ravaged Johnsonia building on Main Street become structurally dangerous this winter.

It has been six months since the six-alarm fire that ripped through the top floor of the five-story building the evening of June 13, leaving more than 60 people displaced. The lower floors have extensive water and smoke damage.

City Solicitor Michael Ciota said the city was denied access to $6.1 million in insurance money at a hearing in Housing Court in Worcester Dec. 17. It wanted to use the money to help make the building safer, but it has a lien against the money and was told to come back should the building become dangerous. No one can touch the money, he explained — including the building’s owner, tenants or the city — unless all agree.

“Our concern is a heavy load of snow and ice and a series of freezes and thaws, especially after rain,” said Mr. Ciota.“At the present moment it is not dangerous, but the Oct. 30 snowstorm cracked the trusses that support the remaining portion of the top floor. If that happens, we’re in deep trouble. We want to deal with this ahead of time.”

Since the fire, the building has structurally deteriorated, and the city and state Department of Environmental Protection are concerned about asbestos in the building. Owner Clark Straight, who also lived in a condo on the top floor, was ordered by the court to complete asbestos abatement in the building several months ago.

“The city remains frustrated at the lack of progress,” Mayor Lisa A. Wong said.“We are keeping a close eye on the building in terms of potential public safety issues, but it is under the jurisdiction of the owners of the building. We don’t have access to determine where it stands structurally.”

Furthermore, Mr. Straight owes the city $224,000 in back taxes and $24,000 in back water and sewer bills, she said.

Mr. Ciota said the city’s Board of Health is checking to ensure asbestos abatement started this week.

Michael P. Burns, the Health Department’s sanitary inspector, said yesterday he checked into a complaint of odors in the area of the Johnsonia building, but didn’t see any contractors working there.

It is common, he said, for the odor of mildew to emanate from a structure saturated with water.

He said a contract for the asbestos abatement was awarded to a company, however.

“We usually get notification from the state,” said Mr. Burns.“The structure and frame is containing everything. There is an independent contractor (Economic Enviro Techs of Fitchburg) monitoring air quality and the state would notify us if there were high levels.”

He said health officials will check to make sure the remediation of asbestos is started by the end of the week.

“The sooner they do it, the better,” said Mr. Burns.“Once they start abatement, they can seal things up. It is an ongoing issue that shouldn’t have gone this far. It should have been addressed months ago, but we’re at the mercy of the court’s decisions. We don’t want anyone endangered by this.”

The city’s requests to expedite asbestos removal in court were denied, Mr. Ciota said.

“We submitted an order asking the judge to take into account, given a series of rapid storms, we would have a building that becomes structurally dangerous,” said Mr. Ciota.“The court didn’t accept this, either. Clearly the law says if we demolish a building while asbestos in it if it is really dangerous, the entire building would need to be enclosed.” If that happens,$6.1 million may not be enough, he said.

“If we do get storms and have to tear it down with the asbestos in it, no one gets anything except the demolition contractor,” said Mr. Ciota.

Must be part of the Good O'Boy network

Lynch wrote:

Must be part of the Good O'Boy network

Your mom'a

The Straights have been a sore in this city since their theft of a new roof (from the contractor) when they first moved in. They have distorted ordinances and moved self serving ordinances forward. They stink (as well as their smelly building). May they leave the city in disgrace for finally exposing their greed and deceitfulness. Hopefully they will sell all of their holdings here (at a significant loss)and "get out of dodge".

Isn't it time for Earley or Coakley?

Get him wrote:

The Straights have been a sore in this city since their theft of a new roof (from the contractor) when they first moved in. They have distorted ordinances and moved self serving ordinances forward. They stink (as well as their smelly building). May they leave the city in disgrace for finally exposing their greed and deceitfulness. Hopefully they will sell all of their holdings here (at a significant loss)and "get out of dodge".

How do you steal a roof?

Huh wrote:

<quoted text>
How do you steal a roof?

Don't pay the contractor?

Lynch wrote:

Must be part of the Good O'Boy network

Gottsta be, right? Everyone in this city who is ba has got to be part of some organized network to do wrong. There's just no such thing as bad people who make bad decisions. They're organized and have a cabal.

God you're a retard.

Chuckles is my daddy wrote:

<quoted text>
Gottsta be, right? Everyone in this city who is ba has got to be part of some organized network to do wrong. There's just no such thing as bad people who make bad decisions. They're organized and have a cabal.
God you're a retard.

He is stuck in an adolescent psychological stage of development. You can thank Mommie Dearest for that!

Clark is two faced. Putting a big show on for everybody like he cares than locks us out to get our stuff while he allows his family to get theirs. I hope he enjoyed his Christmas with his new wife. Clark just remember KARMA has a way of biting you in the ass in the long run CAN"T WAIT

Hope the new wife signed a pre-nup.

I can't figure out why the city is always broke? This guy only owes a quarter of a million in past bills and back taxes. Maybe there are more?

A few major causes to Fitchburg's poverty.

Lost industry closes buildings. Less employed means less individual renters and owners.

All of this lowers property values and tax income based on property values.

From what i have seen, Massachusetts historicly wastes money when taxation brings in more money.

People bothering others for spare change chases people away. Get rid of that and you will see the avoidance of this town vanish in a short time. I feel for poor people who are stuck and this town has the same folks over and over doing the same things.

This town has professional beggars who chase people who would otherwise buy things away. If you take away crackeads sources of income, you will have less bothersome crackheads chasing away business.

It seems to me that crack is the most expensive of the unemployables habits and therefore leads to the highest number of detrimental behaviors.

i would not prefer a store near tedeschis because of the constant begging there. When on break or while waiting, customers and employees would face unpleasantness over and over.

If begging were a ticketable offense, violators would not want to pay and they would avoid where they were tagged.

You get rid of the crack dealers source of dollars and you will curb the overall effect and in my opinion, greatly help a large region. I realize that effective enforcement could be as costly as any venture in dealing with the complete issue.

Make Clark pay the money he owes BUT i bet he will find a way to slime his way out of that too!!!! Somebody once told me to watch out for him never believed he would treat people like he did. WOW He showed his true colors .

Easily confused wrote:

I can't figure out why the city is always broke? This guy only owes a quarter of a million in past bills and back taxes. Maybe there are more?

Who does he know? Why has he been allowed to owe some many taxes and water and sewer bills? He must have friends in city hall!

Who is his insider wrote:

<quoted text>
Who does he know? Why has he been allowed to owe some many taxes and water and sewer bills? He must have friends in city hall!

..or a son who was on the city council,who "stepped away" and a year later was given the highest fine that the state ethics board could give because of using his office to shut down bars that abutted the building. Don't forget the changing of Putnam St to 2 way so people would have easier access to the Johnsonia parking garage! Scumbags!

Anyone can owe past taxes and let them accumulate. Legally only a lien is placed on the property so it can never be sold for profit.

Nobody needs to have any connections in city hall.

Wait we are talking about Clark, that got grants to fix up that building that didn't need to be payed back. He sold Condos and over charged for rent . Why didn't he pay the city the money due?? He also turn a city owned alley between his building and the parking Garage his private parking spaces and that land was owned by the city. He always walk around town acting like he had money. What a FAKE and slum lord, Why does the city allow Clark to get away with this?? Please answer That

Lynch for Mayor wrote:

Wait we are talking about Clark, that got grants to fix up that building that didn't need to be payed back. He sold Condos and over charged for rent . Why didn't he pay the city the money due?? He also turn a city owned alley between his building and the parking Garage his private parking spaces and that land was owned by the city. He always walk around town acting like he had money. What a FAKE and slum lord, Why does the city allow Clark to get away with this?? Please answer That

I didn't know this Clark guy. I didn't know that there was an alley between the building. This isn't Lynch is it? I think it could be Insider or Just Facts or a whench maybe????LMAO!

Lynch for Mayor wrote:

Wait we are talking about Clark, that got grants to fix up that building that didn't need to be payed back. He sold Condos and over charged for rent . Why didn't he pay the city the money due?? He also turn a city owned alley between his building and the parking Garage his private parking spaces and that land was owned by the city. He always walk around town acting like he had money. What a FAKE and slum lord, Why does the city allow Clark to get away with this?? Please answer That

and have you PAID off all the money you owe?