EVANS CITY — Butler County Commissioner Jim Eckstein is delighted with the agreement he reached with borough officials that will stave off the demolition of a house he owns on Wahl Avenue.

“I went from condemnation and ripping the house down to the (building codes) inspector and the head of council being very fair,” Eckstein said. “I think it is an amicable solution.”

Eckstein bought the empty house three years ago after it was abandoned by its former owner.

The borough’s code enforcement officer a few months ago sought to have the home condemned and razed because it violated the building codes.

The council also wanted to take action on the house because they said Eckstein was not keeping his promise regarding the repairs he said he would make on the house, which they said is unsafe.

But on March 4, a team including borough council President Lee Dyer, code enforcement officer Richard Mannas, building permit official Kevin Harancher, police Chief Joe McCombs and Mayor Dean Zinkhann visited the property along with Eckstein.

After a tour of the interior and exterior of the house, Mannas came up with an agreement regarding the repairs needed as well as a timetable for the completion.

According to the agreement, which is expected to be approved by borough council at the Monday meeting, Eckstein must complete the repairs in three phases.

He has until Friday to remove the dilapidated rear porch, add a door and hand rail, and relocate the existing steps to the door. Eckstein said on Monday that he has removed the porch and temporarily covered the area. He said he will complete the rest of the work by Friday.

By May 4, Eckstein must remove a number of trees, and complete several repairs to the front porch. By June 4, Eckstein must have the front porch and exterior window frames and exterior trim painted, repair the roof leaks and replace the shingles, and repair and replace certain gutters and downspouts.

Eckstein estimated the repairs will cost him about $800, which is far less than he expected to spend.

“I damn near fell over,” Eckstein said of the minimal repairs required by Mannas. “My knees almost buckled.”

He said in February that he estimates the house will need about $60,000 in renovations to make it habitable.

Perry O’Malley, executive director of the county Housing and Redevelopment Authority, said Eckstein’s house is one of about eight buildings slated for demolition under the county’s blight prevention and mitigation program.

O’Malley said Monday that while Eckstein’s house will technically remain on the list, the demolition will be postponed until it is brought up to code under the agreement. At that time, it would be removed from the list, O’Malley said.

He stressed that rehabilitation is the reason for the county blight program, not demolition.

“That’s a success story,” O’Malley said. “Assuming both parties honor that agreement, everything will be fine.”

Eckstein said he recently encountered a new problem with the property when he received a notice for a $2,400 sewer and water bill. He said he planned to send a registered letter to the Evans City Water and Sewer Authority appealing the charges since the house has no utilities.

Authority Chairman Tim Schoeffel explained that the situation may be the result of a glitch encountered when the authority took over billing from the borough. The authority was formed in 2012.

He said if disputed, the bills included in the glitch will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Schoeffel did not know if Eckstein’s house is included in the glitch.

“Anyone appealing will be reviewed, and we will make adjustments as necessary,” Schoeffel said.