POCATELLO — After several failed attempts to contact the owner of the abandoned house in the 2200 block of Satterfield Drive that was damaged in a February fire, the Pocatello City Council unanimously agreed to appropriate adequate funds to abate hazards posed by the home.

By authorizing these funds, city building official Lynn Transtrum can begin contracting to clean up and secure the structure to prevent further trespass, like the two women who were illegally squatting in the home when it went up in flames.

“We have a code that’s in place called the abatement of dangerous building codes,” Transtrum said during last week’s city council meeting. “This code takes care of buildings that are damaged by fire or earthquake. When the owners are not responsive to taking care of the damage themselves or they are not insured, we have the ability to then enter that property and abate the dangers.”

The council considered setting a $20,000 limit on the amount of abatement funds set aside for this project.

But council members redacted their amended motions and moved forward with no limits on the good faith that Transtrum will keep costs to a minimum.

“I know Lynn and he’s fairly frugal,” said Mayor Brian Blad. “If there’s a way to get under $20,000 he will end up doing that. If it goes over we will have another discussion.”

Council member Heidi Adamson furthered the discussion by saying she would like to see more extensive cosmetic work done to the home as opposed to simply boarding it up for safety concerns.

“I would like it to actually look like a house that belongs in a residential neighborhood,” Adamson said. “And do something so it looks like a garage door and not a board.”

Apparently, the home has been vacant for some time. The owner, Rebecca Farrelly, abandoned the property eight years ago, leaving behind personal items and a broken-down car in the driveway, a neighbor said in February.

Also during last week’s council meeting, Councilman Jim Johnston asked what efforts Transtrum had made to contact Farrelly.

“I just think there is a way that she can be found,” Johnston said, adding that when people owe money to Pocatello, the city typically recovers those funds.

“I have sent certified mail to her last known address and spoke to one person who had conversations with her while she lived here,” Transtrum said. “(That woman) has tried to make contact with her and forwarded us text messages. And other than that, we have posted the building, which is what the code requires us to do.”

Pocatello’s property maintenance fund covers abatement projects such as the home on Satterfield Drive. Previous projects include the gutted Monarch building and another dilapidated home on Sublette Street.

The property maintenance fund is not a static account and receives a monthly appropriation of 2 percent of all city commercial building permit costs. In addition, the city establishes a lien against abated properties to offset costs in the case that the property sells directly or is acquired through a state tax sale.

Currently, the account totals $105,000.

“We would have a lien against that property,” Adamson said. “So, even though $20,000 is a high amount it’s not like we’re just spending that money with no hope of getting it back.”

Further, Transtrum said it would cost approximately $2,000 to $3,000 to contain the debris scattered among the yard from the fire and the burned garage doors.

“If we dress it up a little bit more than that — an example would be what’s taken place down at the Monarch Building where they boarded it up then they came back out and painted the boards up — could probably cost $3,000 to $5,000,” Transtrum added.

When councilman Michael Orr clarified again what the final cost of the abatement would total, Transtrum responded by saying “whatever you decide.”

Transtrum has begun bidding the project to various contractors and will present the materials to the city council before making any decisions, according to Pocatello spokesman Logan McDougall.

Fellow councilman Gary Moore said that he understands the neighborhood’s concerns, but questions to what extent the city should use abatement funds for cosmetic concerns.

“I understand what a burnt-out place does to the neighborhood, I get all that,” Moore said. “But as a city and a council we’re talking about hazard abatement. (Abatement) really isn’t listed as a service we’re providing for looks. My concern is that if we decide to do that here we need to be prepared to that in any neighborhood.”