Caledonia Argus

Council, property owners agree on clean-up plans

Posted: 7/22/03

by Jane Palen
Managing editor

The city council has secured promises from two property owners in the city that they will clear their properties of undesirable materials, and in turn the city council has pledged to contact others in the city whose property is in disarray and make the same demands of them.

At a public hearing Tuesday evening, the city took up matters relating to a salvage yard on East Main Street owned by Russell Besse and property owned by Mike Rogich, also on the east end of the city.

Donald Besse and Darin Besse, who appeared with their father, Russell, asked the city for 10 days to complete the clean-up of the property.

ìWe wish to have this not carried on,î Donald Besse told the council.

Councilman John Klug asked if the city could be assured that the property would not become unsightly in the future. Donald Besse said that if the city thinks the property is looking bad, someone can contact either himself or his brother .

Klug commented that it was a ìreasonable requestî being made. If the city were to take on the task of cleaning up the property, it would take a lot longer.

ìIf the efforts fall short, we still have recourse,î he noted.

Audience member Joe Lee told the council, ìIf you do it for one, do it for all. If you pick on one guy, pick on them all.î

Klug responded that it has to be a manageable process.

ìYou have to start somewhere,î he said.

Mayor Bob Burns added that the city has contacted other property owners on the same subject and ìsome things are in the works already.î

City attorney Tim Murphy explained that the cityís approach is designed to give people an opportunity to clean up their property on their own, rather than take a
ìheavy-handedî approach.

Mike Rogich, whose property was the subject of another hearing, presented the council with photographs of other properties in town that have junk cars, debris, building materials and appliances stored on them. He said he has cleaned up his property since being contacted the first time by the city, but resented the letter he received.

ìThe letter said I never did nothing. I have done a lot...If I am going to clean mine up, everybody else clean theirs up, too.î

City clerk administrator Robert Nelson said he agreed that some progress has been made on Rogichís property.

In regard to old trailers on his property, Rogich said that they were going to be burned by the fire department. Other equipment there, he said, is in working order. He said he has picked up abandoned cars for the city at no charge, but will no longer provide that service.

The council asked Rogich if he could have the property cleaned up by the end of August, and he responded that he could.

Mayor Burns commented, ìThis will affect the whole town. We knew it was going to be a Pandoraís box when we started. The majority of people wants things cleaned up.î

The council agreed to give Besse 10 days and Rogich until the end of August to clean up their properties.

Attorney Murphy commented, ìEveryone should be commended for working to get things resolved.î

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