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Commissioners give Huntingburg owners 30 days to clean property in ongoing trash-court case
Summary
After renewed testimony and photos showing combustible materials, the Dubois County commissioners ordered owners Kurt and Cynthia Gibbrock to remove trash and safety hazards within 30 days or face further action; a follow-up hearing was set for Aug. 3 at 8 a.m.
The Dubois County Commissioners told the owners of a property on 142 West Old State Road 64 in Huntingburg to clean up accumulations of wood, scrap, and other materials within 30 days, citing a continuing violation of county maintenance ordinance 2019-01.
Carla from county solid-waste staff reopened the continuation of trash court and reviewed the complaint (2023-0720-P) and a series of site visits and photographs that showed piles of combustible material, loose sawdust and scattered containers that the county says pose a fire and public-health risk. “From my view in March and in April the property still constitutes a health nuisance due to the accumulated waste and potential for vermin infestations,” the staff member said during the hearing.
Commissioners said they had discussed the property in prior hearings last year and that recent site checks showed only partial improvement. Multiple commissioners said the site still looked disorderly and presented safety concerns; one commissioner described the operation as resembling a “full‑fledged firewood business” visible from the highway and said the county’s rules require screening or storage inside structures to avoid violations. County staff also pointed to weed-code concerns and to the requirement that vehicles and stored material comply with Section 6.x of the county maintenance ordinance.
Kurt and Cynthia, the property owners who were present, acknowledged progress and asked for time to finish cleanup. “I appreciate 30 days, please,” Kurt said. The owners said access and topography limit where a building could go and that a family member had physical limitations that delayed the work.
The commissioners concluded that the violations remained and directed that the owners remove and properly dispose of the trash and junk within 30 days under the county’s enforcement sections (referenced at the hearing as sections 6.5–6.8). They set a follow-up hearing for August 3 at 8:00 a.m. and warned that, if the property remained out of compliance, the county could seek removal by county contractors and pursue fines allowed under Section 8.1 of the ordinance.
The hearing record indicates the county will continue to accept notices and questions while the owners complete the work; staff offered contact information for case follow-up and to help interpret the maintenance ordinance.
The panel adjourned the trash-court portion of the meeting and reconvened for the regular commission business.
