City of Sheldon Cleans Up Longtime Nuisance
Date posted - August 30, 2012
Sheldon, Iowa — Final action has just been taken by the City of Sheldon to take care of a nuisance that residents have complained about for some time. City Manager, Scott Wynja tells KIWA that Burton Johnson who owns property at the corner of third Avenue and Highway 18 was given a nuisance notice in the spring of 2011 to clean up the accumulation of items on his property. Johnson was entitled to a hearing at the City Council, but did not ask for a hearing and did not clean up the property.
A second nuisance notice was sent this spring, and when Johnson did not comply, the city took the matter to magistrate court, where magistrate Jeffrey Queck found him guilty and assessed a fine of one thousand dollars plus eighty-five dollars in court costs. Queck also ordered that if the property was cleaned up in fourteen days the fine would be lowered to five hundred dollars.
After the fourteen day period had expired and Johnson had not taken steps to clean up the property, the city took action, hauling away six city truckloads of material. Wynja said the court order allowed them to remove anything that the city considered a nuisance. Items that could be salvaged, such as scrap iron were kept separate and will be sold. Money received for the sale of these items will be used to reduce the fine. However, landfill costs for the remaining material will be added to the amount Johnson will be required to pay.
Wynja has pointed out that the nuisance program initiated by the city several years ago has been very successful, and most people have been cooperative. He says that a few years ago the City would send out about sixty to seventy letters per year, and this year there were only about fifteen.
5 Responses to “City of Sheldon Cleans Up Longtime Nuisance”
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It’s about time!
It is, but one must always balance the rights of property owners as well, giving them the opportunity to comply and cooperate before forceful action is taken. I would say the city acted appropriately and most owners are cooperating and complying with the issued nuisance ordinances in a timely manner.
They gave them plenty of opportunity to comply and did take the appropriate action. I personally think they gave them too many chances. These people damaged their neighbors property with their mess, their nuisance became other peoples problems then. As a property owner in Sheldon, I agree with this law to protect the value of my property from problems like this. This house was one of the first homes people saw when entering the town from certain directions. I applaud the city for taking action on the owner but am glad they did give them the time and opportunity to take care if it on their own. Unfortunately they failed to do so and appropriate action was taken.
Now when will the city start requiring landlords to paint and upkeep their properties? The shabby white apartments on 8th Street are a disgrace to the community.
Seriously, they are done cleaning that horrible eye sore?!!? Doesn’t look like they have done anything. How embarrassing!!!!!