MASON CITY – A house that was deemed unsafe last year and was supposed to be demolished by the end of October 2012 is again set for demolition.
City staff is pursuing the demolition of the structures located at 107 7th Street SW, asking the city council to pass a resolution that would authorize city staff to pursue bids for the demolition of all the buildings there. The council will vote on city staff’s request on Tuesday night.
City memos indicate that neighbors have been complaining about the condition of the property for some time, and the dwelling has been unoccupied for three to four years. No city council member nor Mayor Eric Bookmeyer have ever discussed the demolition of the property at a public meeting. The house has been overgrown with weeds and debris for years. “Neighborhood beautification” was a priority of the city council in 2012.
A notice of intent to commence unless proper action was taken by the property owner was sent to the property owner on July 27th, 2012. The city then notified the property owner of its intent to demo the property on August 23rd, 2012. The owner of record, Irene D. Shahan, is deceased. All costs will be assessed to the property owner, a city memo stated.
The property is involved in a tax sale according to the county treasurer; there is $341.00 of unpaid taxes on the property.
Id like to know why this home is deemed unsafe? is it simply because the former owner is dead? Is it because nobody is n=mowing the lawn? How do they actually know it is an unsafe house. or is this just a way to harass some people? Do the people who OWN their home need to have it inspected every few years? Would someone please explain why a house that look to me to simply need cleaned up outside is unsafe. Do people trip over the grass in the cracks of the sidewalk? MY GOD talk about hitting a person when they are down. (in the ground)
““Neighborhood beautification” was a priority of the city council in 2012.”
That is nothing but malarkey. If anyone in this City seriously prioritized neighborhood beautification, one thinks it would have shown.
Thus far, it appears business as usual was the theme in 2012.
Having walked in all neighborhoods last summer, little has changed. People still wait to mow lawns until they are a foot high, then most will deposit the clippings in our streets, that we must pay to clean up. And the $9 million plus Public Library does the same thing when it comes to their weed patch. They should look across the street on how a lawn is supposed to look.
People still operate businesses on residential land leaving machines and trucks and what have you on the streets and driveways.
People still park semi-trucks overnight on city streets, some in driveways blocking sidewalks.
People also still park cars, working or not on lawns, parkways, and sidewalks.
People and businesses still fail to keep their properties weed free (even the so-called million dollar property at US 65 and Highway 122). Trees growing up the side of store buildings.
I counted just over 40% of our businesses did not even maintain the weeds on their sidewalks. On one particular North End business, you could not see the cement for the weeds on the entire side of the building. Talk about liability? Even Music Man Square cannot take care of their property!
If the minions of the Council and our Mayor were at all serious about improving the lot of our community, they would have brought pressure upon the Building Department to address issues in all areas of the City. And not turn a blind eye towards friends or political associates.
I saw little improvement last summer, nor in the last 20 years! I have seen a lot of whitewash!
There is another house on the corner of 14th N.W. and Madison that has been red tagged all year. The sidewalk has never been cleaned this winter and the lawn was never mowed last summer. Of course it is owned by Dodge so nothing will get done.
I’ll be darned. After posting about the sidewalk not being cleaned on Madison and 14th street someone finally ran a snowblower over it. Of course they couldn’t get it clean because of the packed snow, but at least you can walk through it now.
a very good reason why complaining about a problem is a good thing. some have recent stated on here that they are tired of all the negativity. without bringing attention to a problem you will never fix a problem.
Is the writer of this article ,which I assume is Matt, sure that the Mayor and council ignored this problem? Or did it have to go through the normal condemnation process. I’m not sure but I think this process takes time especially if one is dealing with an estate. I could be wrong though.
Reggie you’re likely right. Maybe now they’ll do a report on the run down buildings that are eyes sores on N Fed.. North of 12 th St. Maybe not tho if the owners are part of the NIT Pick Troop.
Solbergs too busy posting her limo rides on facebook. We’ve sent her a few respectful comments and questions in the past few years. She has never responded to any.