Mobile home is out of compliance
Council gives owner 60 days to correct
Staff reporter
A property owner will have 60 days to remove a trailer house or make it compliant with city ordinances.
City inspector and health and safety officer Marty Fredrickson reported Monday to Marion City Council that he did an inspection at 321 S. First Street, and found that the older single wide mobile home was in similar condition as it was when he made an initial inspection a year ago.
He reported that a wooden board was used as skirting around the trailer, there was an opening in the dining room where a furnace was at one time, and a main trunk line can be seen.
Fredrickson showed interior photographs to the council that showed exposed plumbing, one bathroom with no plumbing, and other violations.
Conversations with the owners indicated they intended to make the house habitable by summer which did not occur.
Vice mayor Stacey Collett asked what the council's next step would be. Fredrickson responded the council could give them additional time to make the property compliant. If the property does not become compliant or is not removed from the city limits, then the city could proceed with condemnation.
With that the three-member council, minus mayor Mary Olson and councilman Gene Winkler, approved a 60-day extension.
In other business:
— The city will consider annexing three lots on South Coble Street for possible development.
Owner Jerry Dieter had contacted city attorney Dan Baldwin regarding his property along the back road to Marion County Lake and asked if it could be annexed into the city limits to receive city services.
Baldwin explained that the property could be annexed by consent of the owners which would not require hearings. If city is in agreement, Baldwin said, the annexation could be filed and ordinance passed.
The council instructed Baldwin to proceed with the documents for annexation.
A plat will be presented at a later date.
— A main sewer line on the south hill will be cleaned beginning Oct. 15. Residents will be notified with door tags.
— City cleanup week is Oct. 22-26.
— A $626 water bill will be paid by the customer at 520 W. Santa Fe Street. The large bill was a result of a water leak on the property owner's side which resulted in 242,000 gallons of water being charged to the customer.
City utility clerk Becky Makovec said the customer was willing to pay half if the city would forgive the other half.
"We're in the business of selling water, not giving it away," Collett said. "Do we open this up so anyone who has a water leak doesn't get billed?"
Makovec said she had set up payments in the past for customers in similar situations.
Collett said one option the city could explore was having the customer pay the cost that the city incurs to produce water.
Councilman Jerry Kline made a motion to give the customer three months to pay the bill, Collett seconded. The motion passed, 3-0 with Bill Holdeman also in favor.
— An ad valorem tax exemption at Mid-America Marble was transferred from David and Laura Yates to Brad Cady.
— Prior to the beginning of the regular meeting, a public hearing was held regarding the city's application for a Community Development Block Grant. If the city is awarded the grant, the money would be used for street improvements on Eisenhower Drive and North Cedar Street.
There were no public comments during the hearing.
— A petition was approved for the paving of Country Club Heights.
— Resolutions also were passed pertaining to the application process for the CDBG.
The next council meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 22.
