[ back ]
Time runs out; Munson moves to demolish house
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - July 18, 2012)
Time runs out; Munson moves to demolish house
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Patience has run out for Munson Township Trustees, who have been trying for three years to get a Rockhaven Road landowner to demolish a dilapidated house.
Trustees planned to meet this week with the Geauga County Prosecutor's Office and other county officials to plan taking over the demolition at 13417 Rockhaven Road. It would be the last of four houses in the township that were slated for removal.
Township Zoning Inspector Timothy Kearns said last week that property owner Kristopher Klingmann failed to meet a July 13 deadline for removing asbestos from the house and preparing for it demolition.
Trustees had set the deadline in late April after meeting with Mr. Klingmann and Bert Mechenbier, of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Mr. Mechenbier said then that Mr. Klingmann's attempt to handle the asbestos removal was the first time an individual was attempting to perform the work himself, rather than has a licensed contractor do it. He said the state would be watching the work more closely than those handled by private contractors to ensure that it was done safely and present no health hazards.
Complicating the issue was coordinating the state inspections. Mr. Klingmann had planned to do the work on weekends and weekday nights. But Mr. Mechenbier said that conflicts with his regular work schedule.
Munson Trustees warned in May that they would take over the project if they failed to see sufficient progress toward asbestos removal.
Mr. Kearns said the township decided last week to explore its options for taking over the project when insufficient progress was made.
Officials had hoped the asbestos would be removed by early July to allow the Munson Fire Department to conduct a training exercise there by burning down the house, which would reduce demolition costs.
Mr. Kearns said the township now is looking into whether a fire department burn or a demolition contractor can provide the cheaper option for removing the house. He said fire department members would have to be paid during the exercise, and that cost will be weighed against the contractor's price to determine the best option.
Mr. Kearns said the township would recoup its costs by placing a tax lien on the property.
[ back ]
