Tuesday evening members of the Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety heard from Michael Iqbal, the man who has purchased the former Clark Station on land contract.
The property has been on Mayor Mark Senter’s Operation Bright Spot list since February 2012, as a site pointed out by the mayor that has been neglected or abandoned to long and is in desperate need of renovation or demolition.
This week Iqbal appeared before the Board of Work and said he had learned that the deeded property owner had not paid the property taxes although he claims to have paid him the money for the taxes. The property went up for tax sale in November 2014 and the county commissioners hold the tax certificate for the property.
Mr. Iqbal said he had planned to open the convenience store last week but without a deed to the property he cannot move forward. Last week he hired local attorney Jim Clevenger who could not attend Tuesday’s city meeting but did ask to have a couple of weeks to gather details of the issue for presentation to the city. Iqbal also claims now that the restaurant next door is sitting on a portion of his property.
Councilman Don Ecker requested to keep this issue on the table and told Mr. Iqbal, “We have been patient but at this time I have to see some documents, the purchase agreement and documents to see what’s been transpiring.” He continued, “I want small businesses to be successful but we can’t continue to linger it this.” Ecker also said, “I see some errors in this whole thing. I think there’s some truth but I think you have been taken advantage of.”
The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety has continued the issue at 400 East Jefferson Street and asked Mr. Iqbal and his attorney to appear at the June 8th meeting.
