City Hearing Officer Reviews Property Condemned By Health Department
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Hearing Officer Lawrence Clifford Monday afternoon reviewed eight properties that have been deemed unsafe or have compliance issues. One of the homes is at 832 E. Market St. and is owned by Ralph Fitch. The home has been condemned by the health department and the city is considering demolition of the property, according to Todd Slabaugh, building commissioner. The health department ordered anyone living in the home to be out by Sept. 18 and then gave an extension until Sept. 30 to confirm a professional exterminator had gotten rid of the flea problem in the home. The East Market Street home is currently being lived in by Angela Weaver, who attended the hearing. She said she plans on purchasing the home but has not yet made payments. The city is seeking demolition of the home. Weaver said there aren’t any kids living in the home. During an Aug. 18 hearing, Clifford ordered an interior and exterior inspection of the home. Slabaugh said the inspection never occurred, and that when he arrived at the residence there were fleas coming out from under the porch. He said he then contacted the county health department who condemned it. Slabaugh said the home also has broken windows, a roof that has fallen in and a collapsed foundation. Weaver said she did not hear anyone come to the door for the first inspection ordered in September. She also said she put flea powder down. Clifford said according to statute, a homeowner is required to treat fleas using the services of a professional pest control company and submit to the city a report indicating the work was performed. During Monday’s hearing, Clifford imposed a $2,500 civil penalty effective immediately, and an additional $2,500 civil penalty if the interior inspection did not occur Monday. During an interview this morning, Slabaugh said he and Clifford completed the inspection Monday afternoon and found the home to be dilapidated with foundation issues. “We were confirming the home is bad enough for demolition and that is the direction the city is moving in,” Slabaugh said. “Unless the home is falling down, the city does not have the authority to move people out of the home, but the health department does.” The home will be reviewed again at a hearing Oct. 20 at city hall at 1:30 p.m. to determine if it should be demolished. In other business, Clifford reviewed a home built in 2005 at 330 Ringneck Trail, Warsaw, that has been in foreclosure for five years. It is owned by former Warsaw City councilman Kyle Babcock, who now lives in Fort Wayne. At the Aug. 18 hearing, Clifford reset the hearing for Monday. Slabaugh said during Monday’s hearing the home is 98 percent compliant with the city’s building codes now. A remediation company was hired and has been working on improvements to the property. Window wells in the basement have been sealed, the leaking water issue has been resolved, mold has been remediated and the bottom of the stairway of the home has been replaced, Slabaugh said. The outside flower beds also have been weeded. Babcock, who attended Monday’s hearing, thanked the city and the building and planning department for moving the issues on the home forward to completion. Clifford reset the property for an Oct. 20 hearing at 1:30 p.m. to allow Slabaugh to sign off on the work. In other business, Clifford ordered an inspection Monday at a home at 614 E. Center St. owned by William Kelly. The inspection occurred and the home was found to be in compliance, Slabaugh said. Also Monday, Clifford reviewed a home at 410 W. Winona Ave. owned by Evelia Vega, where clean up is needed. Clifford imposed a $500 fine to be issued and postponed until Sept. 29. If clean up is finished the fine will be avoided, otherwise the fine will be imposed that day. And Clifford reviewed a home at 202 S. Union St. owned by Raul Ramos. This property has had compliance issues for a year, with bricks deteriorating and siding and façade repairs needed. On Monday, Clifford imposed a $1,000 penalty that would be postponed to Nov. 17. The home will need to be repaired and pass an inspection by the building commissioner or the penalty will be effective. The home at 223 W. Jefferson St. owned by Kim Leasure was also reviewed. Clifford ordered electrical wiring to be covered and the doors inside the home to be refitted for locks and handles. Clifford gave the owner 30 days to make the improvements and reset the hearing for Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m. Two buildings at 800 and 802 E. Center St. owned by Roberta Rose were reviewed. There is an issue at 802 E. Center St. with water dripping off the porch that has deteriorated the concrete steps. John Camden, a Pierceton contractor, has been hired to remove the concrete steps, Rose said. There is an issue at 800 E. Center St. with two-by-fours holding up the porch. Clifford reset the hearing for Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m. to allow improvements to be made to the buildings.
