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Neighbor has plans to raze trash houses By JIM DAVIS Three derelict houses in north Medford where a slaying occurred earlier this week could be torn down within a matter of months, a state official and a neighbor said Thursday. Allan Murray said he wants to demolish the boarded-up houses at 1005, 1009 and 1013 N. Central Ave. and expand his Diamond Door business, which is next to the properties. Alan Kiphut, of the state Department of Environmental Quality, which holds $420,000 in liens against the property, said that he is working with Murray to get that done. "I expect we can get the prospective purchaser agreement completed in six to eight weeks," Kiphut said. The three houses are owned by Henry Broughton, who ran the now-defunct Rogue Valley Circuits Inc., a printed circuit board plant at 1111 N. Central Ave. When Rogue Valley Circuits went out of business in 1994, the DEQ stepped in and paid about $420,000 to clean up hazardous materials at the plant. DEQ put liens for that sum against the property -- including the land with the three houses -- and Broughton hasn't paid that money or tax liens. Meanwhile, Broughton continued to rent out the homes until 1996 when the city of Medford declared the houses unsafe. Murray and city building inspector Ron Gapp boarded up the homes eight times and Medford police used the houses for training for their Special Emergency Response Team training just weeks ago. Even so, homeless people were attracted to the houses and lived in and around them -- bringing problems such as small arson-caused fires, theft and litter. This week, Ronald Albert Pageau was found beaten to death on the front lawn of 1009 N. Central Ave. Meanwhile, Murray started asking a year ago about taking over the property and expanding his own business. The land the homes stand on is zoned heavy industrial. Murray found that he needed to settle the liens with DEQ, and he started a "prospective purchaser agreement" with the agency about a month ago. Kiphut said the lot behind the homes still has several empty drums and lead contamination in about 5 cubic yards of soil on the property. Kiphut also said that the land needs testing to determine the extent of contamination. The total remaining cleanup cost is estimated at $50,000 to $80,000. Kiphut said that Murray will pay for the cleanup to forgo part or most of the lien payments owed to DEQ. Murray then needs to clear up other liens -- including $70,000 in taxes -- so that he can take possession of the property. Murray said on Thursday that he is willing to do that and then wants to bulldoze the homes. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA