Marion commission delays action on cleanup order

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN
The Marion City Commission Monday delayed any action for one week on an expired directive for cleanup of land at 548 Washington, and passed two ordinances necessary for seeking a state block grant for water-plant improvements.

Jerry Engler, owner of the land, had asked in a letter to City Attorney Dan Baldwin for an extension of time for the Oct. 1 deadline to clean up the land.

In response to questions from City Administrator David Mayfield, Engler said he had not known he would be placed on the commission meeting agenda because he thought the letter to Baldwin was all that had been requested.

Mayfield said the commission had one bid from a contractor to complete the cleanup at a little more than $2,500 if Engler didn’t have it done.

Mayor Eloise Mueller said the 60 days originally allowed for the cleanup seemed sufficient, and that granting another 60 days might be an excessive allowance. She said Engler had been asked to clean up things in the past.

Engler said originally he had planned to continue to operate a business from the property, but had changed plans to remove all four of his greenhouses and personal property from the real estate when the cleanup was ordered. He said tearing structures down had made more materials to pick up.

Commissioner Larry McLain said he understood Engler was away from the county when the original cleanup order was given, and that had reduced his time available. McLain said the city also needed to give consideration to Raymond Bryant, who originated the complaint against the property.

Commissioner Jim Crofoot said it might be more to the city’s advantage to allow Engler to clean up the property instead of adding a $2,500 bill at city expense to the taxes that Engler might not pay.

Mueller questioned whether Engler would want to continue the work in cold weather, and Engler replied he preferred cold weather “to the hot weather we’ve been through.”

The commissioners said they would ask Building Inspector Marty Fredrickson to look at the property with Engler again before next week’s meeting.

Engler was shown pictures Fredrickson had taken of the property, and Engler said he had not understood before this that wood-frame buildings on the property when he bought it were also in question.

The commissioners voted 3-0 to buy lots 9 and 16 at the retail industrial park from Seacat Hardware for $10,000. Development Director Susan Cooper said the price was fair, considering that the city valued the lots at $15,000.

Cooper said a labor survey she was beginning is going to be taken up by the Marion County Economic Development Council and conducted of the entire county.

Acting Police Chief Michael Soyez said a well-done response by city and county emergency personnel Monday to taking care of an unknown substance under pressure placed in city trash also shows the added responsibility the city has as transfer station headquarters for solid waste from the whole county.

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