TRYON—On Tuesday June 18, at the Tryon Board of Commissioners meeting, the Town Council opted to table the selection of a contractor to clean up and remove the asbestos and debris leftover at Melrose Inn property. 

While the information is private and limited, the property is in the process of being sold as is. The Town Council had discussed the possibility of creating a contingency plan by selecting a contractor and crew that would work to remove the asbestos and debris from the sight if the sale of the property fell through, or in the event that the town is held responsible for cleaning the property and bringing it to a buildable state per the guidelines of the ordinance. The cleanup process has to start within 30 days of the closing on the property. There are several bids that were submitted for the project, which gives the Town Council several options to choose from.   

Councilman Crys Armbrust asked if the would be buyer was a local. It was revealed that the new buyer is not local but has visited the town on multiple occasions and is a ready, willing, and able.  

During the work session before the Town Meeting, Town Attorney William Morgan advised the Council to table the motion, as he believed that it was to soon to make a decision. Morgan said, “It is a premature move to pick a contractor and company now.” Councilman Bill Ingham made the motion to table the contractor selection, and the council agreed to table the item until the next meeting or in the event that a special meeting needed to be scheduled before the end of June.  

By Samuel Robinson
Sam.robinson@tryondailybulletin.com