What started out as parents helping their child has now turned into a mess - an expensive mess for Donna and David Welborn.

The Welborns allowed their daughter and son-in-law, a number of years ago, to place a mobile home on their property at 615 Austin Drive. When the younger couple moved out of state, the trailer was sold.

That's when the trouble began. Trash began to accumulate on the lot. Several utility buildings were added and then fell into disrepair. A car was abandoned there. The mobile home has changed hands several times.

Then the neighbors started to complain. And now the city wants the property cleaned up.

"The trailer is owned by Lorraine Wussles, and she's moved to Michigan," Donna Welborn told Larry Clifford, code enforcement hearing officer, Tuesday. "She had some of her family come and tear the utility buildings down, but they left the trash piled up on the lot and said they'd have the trailer moved soon."

Welborn said the pile of trash isn't hers and she doesn't believe it is her responsibility to have it removed.

Clifford said that while he sympathizes with her problem, the property is owned by the Welborns and it is ultimately their responsibility to ensure the mess is cleaned up.

"Unfortunately, this is a situation where no good deed goes unpunished," he said.

Clifford encouraged the Welborns to retain an attorney to compel through civil court the Wussles to clean the property. He then continued the case for 30 days to allow Welborn time to pursue that avenue.

In other business, Clifford fined Gipper Development $750 for numerous code violations on the partially completed building at 3300 Old Colony Road. The fine was postponed until Oct. 29 to allow the developer to correct the violations.

Clifford also ordered the house at 1837 Michael St., owned by Alejandro Magos, vacated and sealed, and fine Magos $1,000 for numerous code violations to the residence. [[In-content Ad]]