JACKSON, Tenn — Jackson property owner and landlord Paul Mundt was back in Environmental court on Monday.  Mundt was ordered to court to answer questions regarding the burned out property he owns at 1170 Hollywood Dr. in Jackson.

Mundt has been in Environmental court multiple times and received more than one court order and followup  to demolish the property that was destroyed by fire on January 28, 2014.

Mundt told the court he thought the orders were part of the process and didn’t believe there were deadlines as long as conversation was ongoing.

City Atty Lewis Cobb asked that Mundt be placed under oath and once on the witness stand asked him what it was going to take from the court for Mundt to make dealing with this property a serious matter.

Mundt was ordered to make arrangements for demolition as early as March and again in April. Mundt told the court today that approximately last week he contacted Luo Bosco, Bosco Contractor Services, about demolition of the burned out building.  When pressed by Cobb about details Mundt said he had nothing in writing with Bosco and that he had not paid him any money.  Mundt told the court in April that bankruptcy court had approved the disbursement for the building. Bankruptcy court approved the use of insurance proceeds from the fire to tear down the building.

Lewis Cobb continued to question Mundt on the stand about what “besides talk” he had done in nine months to follow the court’s order that the building be torn down.  Mundt said talks with a city building department employee and an engineer from TLM Associates were not just talks.  He didn’t follow through with TLM because he said they misunderstood his intent and wanted ten thousand dollars for engineering work.

Mundt said he knew the order said he had sixty days from the date of the order in March to get the matter resolved but he thought he was ok as long as he was working on it.  Cobb again questioned what Mundt thought qualified as working on it.

Again Attorney Cobb asked Mundt for a time frame he could tell the court that he would have something specific like contracts to have an asbestos study and tear down the building.

Mundt said that Lou Bosco, Bosco Construction, has told him he will put his 1170 Hollywood property on the list to be done.  He said Bosco had given him a quote of approximately ten thousand dollars for the job and he estimated a half day to bring the building down and 2-3 days to clean up.

According to the court, Paul Mundt, owner of Mundt Properties, owns approximately 120 properties. Mundt’s business is in Chapter 11.

Mundt is ordered back in court Monday September 22.  The judge has the option of a seldom used but available option of Criminal Contempt which could include incarceration if Mundt continues to not comply with the court order