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Board gives resident until next meeting to resolve long-running property cleanup or face city cleanup and lien
Summary
After months of incomplete compliance, the Columbia City Board of Works and Safety voted to give a resident until the board's next meeting to consult a lawyer and present a plan to clean a nuisance property; staff warned the city may clean the property and place a lien if the owner fails to act.
President Clark opened an extended discussion about a long-running property nuisance that staff have been monitoring since October. Staff described incomplete compliance: the grass had been mowed and some junk removed but weeds, unsecured structures and several large items remained. The owner at the podium said he is living on Social Security and struggling to fund the cleanup.
The board presented two enforcement options: assess fines and require the owner to complete cleanup, or have the city’s crews perform the work and place a lien on the property to recover costs later. Board members repeatedly pointed to prior written warnings and extensions issued since October as the basis for escalating enforcement.
The resident responded that he has been attempting piecemeal work — cutting I‑beams to scrap, towing at least one vehicle and beginning repairs — but he said health issues and limited income have constrained progress. "I'm only living on social security and stretching it as far as I can," the resident said.
After discussion about the likely costs of city cleanup and the mechanics of a lien, the board voted to give the resident until the next Board of Works meeting (noted in the meeting as July 14) to consult with a lawyer and indicate whether he will bring the property into compliance. The board made clear that, if the property remains out of compliance, it intends to pursue city cleanup and place a lien or assess fines to recover costs.
The board did not record a detailed dollar estimate for cleanup in the meeting record; staff said cost and fine calculations would be assessed if the city must perform the work. The resident said he may pursue scrap sales of metal on site to help cover costs but did not present a firm remediation timeline.
The board’s action: the board passed a motion to allow the owner until the next meeting to decide a course of action; if compliance is not achieved the city will pursue cleanup with a lien or fines. The motion carried by voice vote.
