Forced cleanup
The Washington city crew has been cleaning up the Coleman property this morning. This cleanup is a result of the neglected condition of the property (located just east of the car wash). Many efforts have been made by the city to get the property owner to clean it up, but it hasn’t happened and this will be the second time the city is going in to clean it up and send the property owner the bill.
At first glance, this can seem a bit harsh, when they go in and just start loading stuff up and bringing it to the dump, but as you consider this concept, you must consider what your attitude would be if you were a next door neighbor with kids who like to roam, or a next door neighbor trying to sell a house. This property is also directly across the street from Washington’s biggest tourist site, Marcon Pie Co., a company that is a finalist for consideration as one of the Eight Commerce Wonders of Kansas.
The Coleman property cleanup seems to be on the city agenda most months with frequent attempts to get the situation resolved without city action. What do you think of this issue?
Click the pictures to see them uncropped.
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- Refuse and other stuff from a burned-out shed behind the house is being cleaned up.
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- Washington City crew members haul off and pile up stuff from the Coleman property.
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- One of several full scoops of stuff is transferred into a dump truck and brought out to the landfill.
What rate is charged to the homeowner for clean up?
I believe an arrest was just made in this situation.
I believe the property owner is charged for the time of the crew. It’s not cheap. I think the last time it happened, the bill was something like $5,000 tacked onto the tax bill.
Its to bad the land owner could not step up and do it . I hate to say it but that place looked like the city dump . I dont think it is harsh @ all ..Its not like its the 1st time . No telling what kind nasty stuff is on that land . I sure the h*ll would not want to live on that st .
I would like to thank the city crew for cleaning up that mess. I know i would wonder if the rest of the town looked that way if i was a vistor passing through and stopped at Marcon Pies. I am glad the rest of us in town take a bit of pride with keeping our yards looking nice.
Now I can think of a few more around town that the city could hit .
East and west and of Hwy 36 woulld be another start . I will be nice and not say the names . But just like me im sure some of you can think of some to . Im sure the city could spend a hole year cleaning the town up . But like I said befor and BBB said most of us take pride in keeping your land clean .
I don’t know the people involved or their situation. If they are not elderly or infirm, I wonder why they allow so much stuff to accumulate? Another Kansas town where I used to live does the same thing — charges for property cleanups and for mowing properties with high weeds — with a few notable exceptions.
Enforced cleanup is OK with me as long as the rule is applied to everyone equally. However, I think a kinder solution should be found regarding the elderly or infirm
I’m not trying to run down Marcon because I think the company is an asset to the community. But, is it just me or could that place use “spruced-up” a little bit? Doesn’t it seem like they could use coat of paint, a little tlc, maybe even a small visitor’s area?
OMG thanks to the city this place looks MUCH btr now . Again I would like to think the city for all the work to get this done . Befor and after it does not even look like the same place . I just hope it stays that way now .
this is a joke, on January 29th, 2009 at 12:28 pm Said:
Now I can think of a few more around town that the city could hit . East and west and of Hwy 36 woulld be another start
I would love to see that too! But, I think they are considered outside of city limits so the city can’t do anything about it???Not sure.
Yes I did find out that they are outside the city limits . But it would still be nice ot see the land owner clean it up some .
If the carwash gets a makeover that would also improve that part of the block.
This is a double edged sword. I hate being told what to do on my property, this will probably not be applied EQUALLY, and what ever is charged will probably be an exhorbanant rate. But, I also don’t want my neighbor to fill their yard with trash, reduce my property value, and cause the community to have a bad name.
It is a slippery slope that leads to home owner’s associations that dictate house paint colors, fence heights, and tree houses that must not be seen from a neighbor’s yard. Sound ridiculous? These aren’t even the worst stuff you here about back east here in the big city of K.C.