Sheldon, Iowa — During this week’s regular Sheldon City Council meeting, a public hearing was held in reference to a nuisance property and the clean-up that the City has performed on that property.
The nuisance property is located at 511 6th Avenue, and is owned by Doug Kooistra. City personnel had determined that the property qualified as a nuisance property, notified the owner, and allowed him an opportunity to mitigate the nuisance. On July 31st, the City hired a contractor to perform the clean-up of the property. On August 8th, City Manager Sam Kooiker says Kooistra showed up at the end of the Board of Adjustment meeting and requested to speak to the Council. As a result of that request, Kooiker added the item to this week’s council meeting.
During the public hearing, the City’s Code Enforcement Officer, Steve Hallgren, told the Council that after going through the process of multiple notifications of the nuisance determination to the property owner, Kooistra’s only response was after the remediation had been conducted.
Kooiker told the Council that he had been unable to reach Kooistra by phone to advise him of the item on the Council’s agenda, but had mailed a copy of the agenda to Kooistra, who was not in attendance at the meeting. Kooiker says there was also a letter of complaint about the property, and its owner, from the owner of an adjoining property. Kooiker told the Council that the abatement, or clean-up, costs were $2,095.
Following the public hearing, the Council passed a motion stating that they were taking notice of the comments and other evidence presented, and further finds that a nuisance did exist under the Sheldon City Code, and that therefore the abatement was proper.
City Attorney Micah Schreurs told the Council that Kooistra is still being afforded additional due process, since there is a case pending on the issue in Magistrate Court.
A video of Wednesday’s Sheldon City Council meeting can be viewed below……………
