SANFORD — A property that is not only an eyesore but deemed dangerous by the city  after a fire in March 2015,  is set to come down, with the awarding of a demolition bid by the City Council on Tuesday.

Demolition of the burned-out shell of the home at 6 Goodwin Court, owned by the city since November, will start in early April. The work is expected to be finished by the end of May.

The City Council on Tuesday awarded a demolition contract to Guillemette Bros. of Sanford in the amount of  $11,424.

The work includes removal of asbestos on two exterior walls by a subcontractor, and removal of the structure and back-filling the lot.

The property is among several that first formally came to the attention of the City Council in November, 2015, after the state Legislature  passed a law that allows municipalities to clean up dangerous properties and attach a fee to the tax bill for the property.  In the case of Goodwin Court however, the owners had moved  prior to the fire and told the City Council they didn’t have the means to make repairs. They transferred the property to the city in November.

“I’m glad to see this finally come to the bid process,” said Councilor Fred Smith, who has championed the cause of cleaning up derelict properties.

Mayor Tom Cote said the process had been a “long time” coming.

Smith said he’d vote for the bid award, but suggested in future cases, the city require separate bids for asbestos abatement and demolition. He said some contractors told him they didn’t bid for that reason.

The vote was unanimous of the six councilors present; Councilor Joseph Hanslip was absent.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.

Comments are not available on this story.