By DAVE SCHULTZ
MARKLE — The town council Wednesday evening voted to take down a dilapidated structure on West Sparks Street, one that was supposed to have been demolished before the first of the year.
Sarah Brunner of the Huntington County Department of Community Development returned to Markle to ask the council what it wanted to do about the ramshackle mobile home at 303 W. Sparks St. The Huntington County DCD serves as the building agency for the town.
When Brunner was present at the council’s November meeting, she said that the owner, Teresa Beck, had told her that she could get the structure demolished by Dec. 31 and the council agreed to hold her to that.
Wednesday evening, the three council members — Matthew Doss, Nick Lund, and Blake Caley — decided to order what’s left of the mobile home taken down. They also decided that the town would do the work itself.
“The community has been patient,” said Doss, the council’s president. “Dec. 31 is a significant date on the calendar.”
Brunner said some work had been done but the task was not complete. She gave the council members three options — give Beck more time, give her more time and then start fining her for non-compliance, or have the structure demolished and file a lien against the property for the cost of the work. They chose the third option.
Town employees will do the work and then a lien will be filed to recover the cost from Beck.
Brunner said she would be sending a notice of demolition out Thursday by certified mail. When she receives word that the notice has been delivered, she would notify the town that the demolition work could proceed.
Also Wednesday, the council formally approved an ordinance establishing the Markle Historical Commission as a subcommittee of the Markle Parks and Recreation Department.
The decision gives the renewed organization a presence in the community, one it has not had for several years.
Meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the meeting room of the Markle fire station. Five board members will be appointed.
In other business:
• Town Marshal John Markley submitted his yearly report for 2022 and his report for the month of December. The report for 2022 showed increases in almost all areas of police activity when compared to the years of 2014 to 2021.
• Mike Grant, the town’s assistant superintendent, said the municipal finance firm of BakerTilly will be looking at a rate study for water and sewer rates soon. Rates were last increased in 2018.
• The council agreed to provide up to $2,500 to sponsor one in a series of entertainment concerts on the new stage at Markle Park this summer.
• The council approved its meeting schedule for 2023, amending the date of the October meeting to Thursday, Oct. 12, to avoid a conflict with Northern Wells’ Community Schools’ fall break. The April meeting had already been moved to April 5. The council routinely meets on the third Wednesday of every month.
daves@news-banner.com
