The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 36, Milford, Kosciusko County, 3 September 1986 — Page 12

12

THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., September 3,1986

Landlord ordered to answer charges

By MARK HUFFMAN Staff Writer Milford landlord Ronald Davidhizar, 203 Middlebury St., Goshen, was ordered to correct violations of the town’s Unsafe Building Law by September 29 or, face further penalties by building inspector Dr. T.A. Miller last

I ' .s' ■■ ,r; ■ -O ■ ■ M < w®O jk bret — ;W- * —i ■ Wf ti, ‘ '-- -< J > “ ■•W - * ?ft • •Wr - ■ PROGRESS? — Shown is the partially torn down chimney of the 212 E. Fourth St. home, owned by Goshen resident Ronald Davidhizar. was ordered, by building inspector Dr. T.A. Miller, to close the home until substantial improvements<are made. The Milford landlord has until September 29 to seal the premises, exterminate vermin, and repair the premises to remove unsafe conditions. • , &

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Thursday, Aug. 28. Responding to several citizens’ and tenants' complaints, building commissioner Harry Doty and John Cupp, an officer from the health department, joined town marshal David Hobbs in examining three Davidhizar-owned houses August 20. After finding

thse structures lacking safety and sheltering inadequate sanitary conditions, the Goshen resident was ordered to appear before Miller at the public hearing, held in the community building last week. Invited to answer the charges, Davidhizar reported that he had already made progress in bringing the three properties in line with the building law prior to the meeting, but was met with cynicism from the audience of property owners and town officials. The homes, located at 105 N. Maple St., 212 E. Fourth St., and 313 W. Williams St. were cited for various .problems, the most of which were found at the Fourth Street location, which was ordered vacant until improvements are made and approved. Davidhizar was also ordered to seal the premises against intrusion by unauthorized persons, exterminate vermin in and about the premises, and repair the premises to remove hazardous or unsafe conditions. While he agreed that “some problems’’ exist with the Fourth

•* \33 Ksggs-.-.- • I PIGEON LODGE? — Pictured is the damaged soffit at the 212 E. Fourth St. residence, where pigeons are reportedly entering the structure and leaving droppings. The open area, in violation of Milford’s Unsafe Building Law. was the cause of a hearing Thursday, Aug. 28, at the community building, where building inspector Dr. T.A. Miller, listened to a report by Harry Doty,.building commissioner, regarding unsanitary conditions at the structure. Miller ordered the house vacant until improvements are made and approved.

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Street structure, Davidhizar contested many of the complaints against the other two homes. A faulty drain at the mobile home on Williams Street and unsafe wiring and sewer problems exist on Maple Street, according to Doty. However, Davidhizar claimed that he was unaware of the disconnected pipe on Williams Street. “How am I to know if there is a problem unless I’m told?” he asked, suggesting that tenants may hesitate to inform him of problems when they are behind on rent. Hobbs revealed a photograph showing where the pipe leaked from the bottom of the mobile home to the ground below, while Davidhizar reputed, “The pipe is under the floor and not the mobile home and it goes to the kitchen sink.” He further stated that the problem had been rectified, inviting Doty to again examine the premises. Exposed wires at the Maple Street home induced Miller to question the landlord’s ethics after Davidhizar claimed they were “dead.” “Why would anyone leave wires outside of a

box even if they were dead? — that’s a potentially dangerous situation,” Miller asked. Davidhizar then claimed that the wires had been capped and pushed back into the box. Noting that the house had burned previous to Davidhizar’s ownership, Beverly Fuller, the structure’s tenant, asked the landlord if the electrical heat in the home was safe. “I’m afraid to turn it on and its the only heat in the house, ” she stated. Doty agreed to check into the matter, while Davidhizar assured him that it was “perfectly safe.” ; An odor from the heating system was also a source of dissension, with Davidhizar claiming it’s a result of the fire, noting that the musky smell is only apparent when the furnace is initially turned on. Fuller countered, “It smells like that all of the time it’s on.” Saying that he was “unaware” of any existing sewage problems, Fuller disputed his claims, saying that she had informed him of problems with the commode “backing up” several times. Davidhizar agreed to check with another property owner that is hooked into the same sewer line “tonight,” adding that he would correct the problem the next day if possible. “It’s a shame that to have things done you have to have a public meeting, ” Fuller stated. Fourth Street “Show Place”? , Openings in the soffit at the Fourth Street home caused concern among residents living in the area, with Doty confirming that pigeons were able to enter the house and leave droppings through the openings. “We will be nailing up sheets of plywood to close the areas,” Davidhizar said, adding, “I want it (the house) to look ‘original’ and this will take some time. ” Merle Tethrake, 109 East St., a resident living next to the structure, noted that Davidhizar has owned the home for five years.

I “ **’ // IW4 Ib •i'W ' v ‘ -'■ RAISE NUMBERS — Indiana State Police Trooper Tom Perzanowski is shown reading the serial numbers off a stolen 1981 Honda XR2OO dirt bike which had been erased, to North Webster Police Officer Shad Hunter and Town Marshal Matt Wagner. A special acid solution was used to raise the numbers allowing police to find the original owner of the bike. The process took officers six hours. North Webster Police apprehended John W. Milcarek, 22, Michigan City, last week after he was seen riding the motorcycle without a registration plate. Following a chase Milcarek wat> arrested for resisting law enforcement and reckless driving at a high rate of speed. It was learned, after impounding the bike, the serial numbers had been erased and it was stolen. Milcarek was charged Tuesday with possession of stolen property. The investigation is continuing. (Photo by North Webster Police Department)

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“When he bought it he said ‘l’m going to make this a show place’,” Tethrake said, adding in a sarcastic tone, “It sure is — the only thing he’s done is to tear the chimney halfway down and patch a few holes.” The chimney was taken down to the house’s eaves after Doty ordered it to be done. “It is not connected to any heating system,” Davidhizar said, adding, “We plan to tear down the rest of it this fall. ” The landlord also claimed he would be replacing a “faulty furnace,” with a “96 per cent energy-efficient furnace.” After hearing several residents complaints Miller asked that Davidhizar also consider aesthetics when making improvements to the structures. “Our concern here is safety not aesthetics,” Davidhizar said, later prompting Miller to reply, “I know we can’t make you improve the (Fourth Street) house aesthetically by law, but I would hope that as a landlord and property owner you would be concerned with die looks and consider the neighbors in the area — I guarantee you if I lived next to that house I’d be on your neck and at your door day in and day out.” Davidhizar interrupted,' “We do nothing but first quality work.” “I’m just concerned with getting it done,” Miller countered. Davidhizar was asked to give a progress report on repairs to Doty in 10 days, and was reminded by Miller that if problems still existed by September 29, “We ll be back to the town attorney to set up another hearing.” Byron Weber-Becker, representing the Goshen Housing Task Force, was also at the hearing. “I’m just here to observe — seeing how other communities deal with this type of problem,” he said, noting that Davidhizar owns over 70 homes in the Goshen area.

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Il | DISSENTING VIEW — Milford landlord Ronald Davidhizar, left, rebutes town marshal David Hobb’s, right, claim that the photo shown belpw reveal a leak from a pipe protruding beneath the mobile home at 313 W. Williams St. According to Davidhizar, the pipe, which connects to the kitchen sink, was disconnected between the floor and bottom of the trailer. Dr. T.A. Miller, building inspector, heard arguments at a public hearing citing Davidhizar for violations against the Unsafe Building Law, last Thursday, Aug. 28. k

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Milcarek arrested for theft John W Milcarek. 2 1 , 3811 N. 875 W. Michigan City, was arrested on a charge of possession of stolen property, Tuesday, following an incident Friday. Aug. 22, when he was arrested tor resisting law enforcement and reckless driving at a high rate oi speed. Milcarek was released after posting $2,000 bond Milcarek is working in Tie area for a local contractor. The latest charge »against Milcarek stems froi? North Webster Town Marshy Matt Wagner and Officer Sh .5 Hunter along with Indiana St, te Police Trooper Tom Perzanoj ski raising the serial numbers of a 1981 Honda XR2OO Dirt B ke which Milcarek was riding. The serial numbers had been erased on the cycle and Milcarek staf ed he had not erased the numbers. Trooper Perzanowsk stated the serial numbers wene raised by the use of a special a< id solution. The numbers wei e then traced with the assistance ■ of the National Auto Theft Bure<\ a in Illinois. Officers were able tto trace the motorcycle through the factory to its last owner in La. Porte. The last owner had report ed the dirt bike stolen on July . 984, with the LaPorte County Sil eriff’s Department. The investigation is stilH continuing on the case Fresh fruit . A cool summer dessert c in be made by arranging assorted fresh fruit in dessert glass Aand top with chilled or frozen to ’ingerale. W Reset iris August is the month to plant or\ reset iris. Spade the bed 18 inches ' deep; mix in fertilizer and wait a week or two for soil to settle before placing rhizomes. 4