The owners of the Waverly Motel are scheduled to appear before the East Ridge Housing Commission on Monday.
The meeting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall on Tombras Avenue.
Last Wednesday in an emergency meeting the housing commission voted to suspend operations at the motel at 1503 McDonald Rd. as the result of multiple code violations. Those violations included a lack of smoke detectors in 17 of the 20 units of the motel, lack of adequate fire extinguishers, electrical issues, plumbing issues, and pest infestations.
When the board closed down the business it ordered the owners to appear before them on Monday, May 13 to provide an update on what owners have done to address the deficiencies. Attorney Rob Carden, who was representing the Waverly ownership, told the board last week that his clients had already addressed the smoke detector and fire extinguisher issues, and that they intended to bring the building back into compliance and wanted to continue operations.
At last week’s housing commission meeting, Commissioner Earl Wilson noted that police officers had responded to the Waverly address almost 100 times since January 1.
Police officers testified before the housing commission that the motel is a haven for criminals, drug dealers and prostitutes. An officer with the ERPD’s Crime Suppression Unit told the board that while she was interviewing a woman who had several children in her room at the Waverly the officer had to step over a used syringe.
The testimony prompted Commissioner Lynda Stephens to comment; “That’s a danger to the public. That’s just wrong, and it’s disgusting.”
Click on the link below for the East Ridge Housing Commission agenda for the May 13 meeting: http://eastridgetn.gov/getattachment/Government/Boards-Commissions/HC-Agenda-5-13-19.pdf.aspx
