By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The owner of one deteriorating home in Decatur is getting a break due to the season, while another is likely to soon be facing fines.
Assistant Building/Zoning Superintendent Brad Roe advised the city’s board of works at its latest meeting of the condition of a home at 437 Mercer Ave., (photo) just north of W. Oak St.
The first complaints about the home came in mid-May.
Weeds and excessive vegetation have been an on-and-off problem, but the major concern is the deteriorating roof.
Roe said owner David Wilson had visited the building/zoning office and said he was getting a contractor to cover the roof, but as of the date of the board of works meeting that had not been done.
“We have to do something with it;” as critters are getting inside through the roof, Roe said. “It’s a huge roof.”
Mayor Dan Rickord pointed out that this is not the time (season) of the year to repair a roof.
So Building/Zoning Superintendent Curt Witte recommended giving the owner 60 days to get a signed contract to have the work done. It that doesn’t happen, then daily fines will begin.
“We have to get something done” Witte said, underscoring Roe’s comments.
“No reason he can’t get a signed contract within 60 days,” board member Craig Coshow said, making a motion to send the notice for a 60-day period.
“COLORFUL”: A home at 230 Oakridge Place “is another one which we have been dealing with for a while,” Roe said.
The problems there include weeds, excessive vegetation, rubbish and a large piece of rotten plywood (see photo) where a shed once stood in the back yard
The owners are listed as Dorene, Jason and Stephanie Vergara.
After notifying the owners of the need for a cleanup, Roe said, “We got a colorful phone call and a colorful visit. So when we went to talk to them, the colorful language continued.”
He added that “there are just tons of little things that need to be cleaned up.”
Some effort to remedy the situation had been made, but as of the board meeting, the work had stopped.
Roe said the department had offered the owners some ways to get help, “but there was no follow through.”
So it was decided to have city employees clean up the weeds and excessive vegetation, then send the bill to the owners. They also will get notice of having two weeks to do a cleanup or fines of $100 a day will begin.