Uhrichsville administration notes the continued problems of high grass, dilapidated structures, and other issues.
At the latest council meeting, Mayor Jim Zucal noted that Kimble trash rates are expected to go up and reiterated concerns of the city in danger of becoming a village based on population numbers.
During his report, Zucal brought up the need to clean up the city and asked council members about their neighborhoods, with all agreeing on problems of high grass and dilapidated structures, including Harold Shamel.
“High grass, housing falling in, but I don’t want to say a lot because then the city attorney comes and gives me a hard time, so I guess I’m just supposed to just keep quiet. Citizens are paying me to make sure their neighborhoods are cleaned up.”
Law Director Jeff Merklin said that with the International Property Maintenance Code in place it provides clear violation definitions, but he noted cities are not exempt from ensuring the people being investigated receive due process of law.
“The issue is I don’t have any legal right to do anything until the case is brought to me by the appropriate officer, the police officer of the city if you will, to do something and since that’s happened, we have acted on every single case, and I will continue to act on every single case.”
Zucal also emphasized the issue of junk vehicles.
“There’s certain vehicles, a set of vans in the alley off of Uhrich Street that I’ve been on for 18 months to get removed. There’s junk vehicles with flat tires. They’re sitting all over town. Can’t seem to get them moved. I received an email from the law director that said do not touch junk vehicles.”
The email from the law director was sent in December 2024. Jeff Merklin, in response, stands by the advice of “agents of the City should not go onto private property to remove or try to remove personal property without a warrant or order issued by the court”. Merklin explained to do so would subject the city to lawsuits regarding trespassing and noted it’s a safety issue to go onto someone’s property without the legal authority to do so.
Meanwhile, Service Director Cade Watkins announced the four-way stop at the N. Water Street and E. 8th Street intersection will go back to a two-way stop sometime in September.
“By the Rite Aid and Dairy Queen there is significant damage to that intersection from the stop and go traffic. It’s something that’s been looked at and we’ve decided to remove those.”
The road has shifted with the constant stopping, and Watkins say it will cost $10,862 in repairs.
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