Hillsboro takes aim on dilapidated properties
Staff writer
Hillsboro City Council voted Tuesday to schedule hearings Nov. 4 on two nuisance properties.
The properties are at 310 N. Washington St., owned by Dennis Gora, and 401 S. Ash St., owned by Wilbert J. Bartel.
A certified letter will be sent telling them the time and date of the hearings. At the hearing, they will be able to tell the council why their properties should not be condemned.
Code inspector Ben Steketee reported that property on Ash St. has accumulations of dead trees, dead limbs, junk, trash, metal, wood, concrete blocks, and other refuse items; overgrown vegetation, unmowed areas, and untrimmed brush and saplings, including small trees; and a dilapidated, unsafe, and unsightly fence.
Steketee reported that the property on Washington St. was dilapidated and has dangerous trees and weeds higher than 12 inches.
“Usually, when you get to this kind of level, you can’t resolve it,” City Administrator Matt Stiles said.
Steketee said the owners of 401 S. Ash St. have not worked with him at all.
Council member Ronald Wilkins asked Steketee whether anyone had spoken to the property owners.
Steketee said he had not received a response from them.
“The next step for you would be to issue a cleanup order,” Stiles said.
He said the council would decide how many days to give the property owners to clean up.
Stiles said the owner of 310 N. Washington St. had been a subject of code violation actions before.
“We’ve had people try to squat in this house,” Steketee said. “A family member tried to squat in this house.”
Steketee predicted the house on Washington would end up being demolished.
“I don’t think there would be anything that could be done to salvage this house,” he said.
A red brick building downtown owned by Gora earlier was demolished.
“His track record is not good,” Mayor Lou Thurston said.
In other matters, council members approved a $14,167.855 budget. A Kansas Public Employees Retirement System representative talked to council members about the Kansas Police and Firefighters Plan.
Hillsboro is considering providing the plan, which provides better benefits than KPERS, but have not made a decision.
KP&F would cost the city almost three times as much but offers more generous retirement, disability, and insurance.
Thurston asked whether Steketee, fire chief, would qualify for KP&F. Ashley said that depended on Steketee’s job description.