Alger to begin legal action against nuisances

ALGER — Five homeowners in Alger have been asked to address nuisances at their homes and now face impending legal action to get the problems addressed.
Council agreed to turn the names of five people over to their solicitor Aaron Bensinger to file legal action against the property owners, who council believes are violating nuisance regulations in the village.
“We have talked and talked and talked,” said council member Jennifer Dye at Monday night’s meeting.
The properties include 502 N. Ohio St.; 301 N. McConnell St.; 108 E. Belmont St.; 212 W. Wagner St. and 911 N. Main St.
In addition to the five properties, council member Linda Dienstberger told council she had presented the county commissioners with a list of eleven abandoned homes the village hoping to see razed.
The list is part of the Move Ohio Forward Grant which would provide funding for the demolition of blighted homes from communities throughout the county. The deadline for filing for the state program was Aug. 1.
“We made the deadline and we have more (structures),” said Dienstberger.
Dye suggested council sponsor a home improvement contest within the village.
Nominees would be considered for making improvements to their homes.
“This would show the residents of the village who do clean up we appreciate it,” said Dye.
While council members said the contest was a good idea, most questioned if a cash prize was legal for a government entity to sponsor and suggested the prize money should come from a private organization.
Later in the meeting, Mayor David Allen said a situation between the village and Don Webb, chairman of the board of public affairs, had been resolved to the satisfaction of council.
Webb had been accused of taking gasoline from the village garage during a June wind storm. Allen said Webb had paid for the fuel. Council would not issue a reprimand against Webb, Allen continued, and accepted his response to their concern.
“You dealt with the issue by paying for the gas,” the mayor told Webb.
“You have smeared by name,” countered Webb. “I was accused of doing something unethical.”
During the board of public affairs meeting, which takes place prior to the council session, the members discussed the ongoing battle to keep duck weed out of the sewer treatment system. The problem with the weeds is made worse by the dry summer, said Water Plant Supervisor Ron Polen.
Council and the board of public affairs agreed to pay the local fire department $450 for its help in removing the weeds from the lagoons. Without removing the weeds, Polen explained, the oxygen levels in the lagoon would be impacted.
“Duck weed has been kicking our butts,” said board of public affairs member Von Suma.
Polen told the board the drought is no longer an emergency situation for the town’s water supply, but Alger continues to use about 200,000 of water per day.
In other business, council:
- Discussed repairing the storm warning siren in the village, which has not been operational for several years.
- Heard Allen report on his attempt to control large truck traffic through the village.
- Conducted a closed session with the board of public affairs to consider the discipline or employment of a public employee.
- Discussed the abandoned railroad bed which runs through the village.
- Discussed the Ohio Department of Transportation assisting the village with a dangerous intersection at Belmont and Ohio 235.

By DAN ROBINSON
Times staff writer

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Posted by Kenton Times on August 7, 2012. Filed under Local News,Recent Headlines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry