Eldred Township supervisors swiftly made a decision regarding the dilapidated building at 104 Fiddletown Road in Kunkletown.

At their regular meeting Wednesday evening, the supervisors decided that the building is a dangerous property and ordered that it be torn down and removed within 60 days.

The owner of the house and its neighboring buildings is Yaple Properties LLC, whose signing member is Amy Yaple. Yaple purchased the property and the former W.W. Smiley Meats and Groceries store in 2007 for $299,900. She renamed it Amy’s Country Store.

In February 2019, the house was destroyed by fire.

Although notified of the hearing, neither Yaple nor anyone from ESSA Bank and Trust in Stroudsburg was present for the hearing.

A representative from the bank was present at the first part of the hearing in March, when both the zoning officer and zoning administrator testified to the condition of the building.

At that time, Shawn McGlynn, the township’s zoning and codes officer, said, “Not only did they not secure the building, the property owner did not take any measures to protect the building from the weather following the fire. The roof itself was pretty much entirely destroyed and consumed. Second floor system was damaged significantly as well. The structure sustained significant damage from the fire and then continued to have damage due to neglect and water infiltrations.”

In addition to their testimony, McGlynn and Jeff Snyder, the zoning administrator for the township, submitted 10 pictures showing the extent of the damage. The sky can be seen through the windows where a roof should be. Snyder said he took the pictures, but he would not go in the building, because it did not look safe to enter.

If Yaple doesn’t get the building torn down in 60 days, then a lien can be placed against the property, township secretary Ann Velopolcek said.