Vicksburg officials will wait until April 16 to make a decision on whether the owner of the Vicksburg Apartments will need to evacuate the top floor and repair a leaky roof he contends doesn’t pose a threat to people living there.

&#8220Bring us a plan. If you need a 90-day extension, we’ll work off that. We need some kind of plan, or we’ll have to do what’s asked of us,” South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman told owner Mike Davis in Friday’s city board meeting. &#8220We need a plan of action.”

In Monday’s meeting, Davis appealed a letter that said the floor was &#8220unsafe” and &#8220uninhabitable.” Mayor Laurence Leyens then told Victor Gray-Lewis, head of inspections, to take up-to-date photos of the 11th floor of the building, where five tenants live.

The decision was to be tabled until Friday, when Davis insisted the board appeal the decision to condemn the floor, which Wayne Scott of the inspections department said &#8220still had water problems.”

&#8220We stand by the original letter,” he said.

Referring to the letter, which said the area should be condemned because the conditions were &#8220unfit for human habitation,” Davis said he thought the language adhered to &#8220some kind of marshal law mentality” and was &#8220ridiculous.”

&#8220There’s no doubt the roof leaks. It’s just one of many problems. There’s a whole lot of work that’s got to be done,” he said. &#8220When you look at the whole picture, the roof is not that big of a problem.”

Beauman told Davis that the city follows certain regulations that are built on a criteria followed worldwide. Leyens was out of town for Friday’s meeting.

&#8220We have an obligation as the City of Vicksburg. When we get a complaint, we go and look at it and try to put that building into code,” he said. &#8220This was based on a complaint from a citizen. The words of the letter are based on code.”

Davis, a local real estate executive and owner of Davis Realty, bought the property in July 2005 and, since then, has put money into renovating the nearly 80-year-old building, Vicksburg’s tallest.

He said the leak in the roof started as a result of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and knows of one other time that the roof leaked, causing tiles to fall and damage to the floor. Initial site visits showed exposed wires, damage to the flooring and fallen tiles. Minor repairs were made by Davis.

But, he said, at this point, a tenant’s leaky faucet takes priority over replacing the roof.

&#8220The roof leaks. I’ve got a problem and I’ve got to fix it,” he said. &#8220It’s just not that big of a problem.”

Citing issues with his insurance company and inability to pay out of pocket to replace the entire roof, Davis could not give the board a time frame for when repairs could begin.

North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield told Davis the board would work with him so he could remedy the problem.

&#8220We want to work with you, but you have to work with us,” he said. &#8220We can’t treat you differently than anyone else. The bottom line is we have to enforce the law. We have to make sure you have the intention of repairing this roof.”

Scott said the only danger the 11th floor tenants are facing with dry weather is mold and mildew – until it storms.

&#8220What’s crossing my mind is, ‘What if?’” Beauman said.