Long Time Ago.....

[DARK30]

My Mom just sent me an article from the Tuesday Nov 8 edition of the West Central Tribune there in Willmar. It reads "Council declares local house hazardous" and it made the front page. Thats where I lived when I was a kid! Now its become a hazard? I remember the only hazard around there was hitting the wrong car with a snowball or maybe jumping off the walking bridge into a beet car on the tracks. 402 Ann St. SE .. I'll never forget it. Right across the street from the graveyard. The place doesn't look happy any more...too bad, lots of good memories from there. It was just a quick bike ride from the house out over the walking bridge to Robin's Island... I actually remember when Robin's Island was really an Island with one little road leading out to it.

Sorry for venting....****Sigh****

[jigginjim]

Dark30, You didn't say why the house is called a hazard.

[DARK30]

I guess its just become rundown and looks bad....

Council declares local house hazardous

David Little West Central Tribune

Published Tuesday, November 08, 2005

WILLMAR — The Willmar City Council has voted to declare the dilapidated house and garage at 402 Ann St. a hazard. The owner is required to either correct the conditions or remove the structure.

The council Monday night accepted a Community Development Committee recommendation to declare the east-side buildings a hazard and to begin abatement of the conditions under state law.

The condition of the Ann Street property and the issue of dilapidated houses in certain neighborhoods were discussed by the committee at its Nov. 3 meeting.

It was noted that the worse conditions seem to be concentrated in two particular neighborhoods.

To improve conditions, the city can either enforce the Exterior Maintenance Ordinance or enforce state statutes regulating hazardous structures. Committee members were told the city has successfully enforced the ordinance, specifically at a house on West Litchfield Avenue where repairs are underway.

Committee member Jim Dokken had asked city staff, including all departments, to note and report on decrepit structures to better enforce the ordinance.

City staff has been dealing with the Ann Street house for a number of years, said Bruce Peterson, director of planning and development services, “and we are at the end of our rope.’’

The city has mowed the grass and assessed the cost to the property, which will be paid when the property is sold, he said.

The council received some encouragement from a homeowner who lives at 523 Fourth St. S.E. Gordon Gravgaard said he walks within a mile of his home and said he sees other homes, especially the house at Ann Street, that need repairs.

“We’ve seen it fall apart. All the windows are broken. The squirrels and birds go in and out,’’ said Gravgaard. He said the snow is not removed from the sidewalks, and the house smells of mold.

Peterson said the Ann Street property was discussed by the Planning Commission on Oct. 26. The commission asked the city to board up the windows to decrease safety hazards and to charge the cost to the property, if possible.

The commission said condemnation should be a last resort, and the commission concluded the family should be notified about its options and a time frame for action is set, according to the commission’s minutes.

The woman who owned the property died this year and her brother, who is in failing health, has control of the property, according to city staff. The brother has given responsibility to his son-in-law.

Under state law, a city council may order the owner of a hazardous building to correct the condition or remove the structure. An order to that effect is to be issued to the owner. If there is no compliance, the city applies to the district court for enforcement.

The law defines a hazardous building, which because of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, physical damage, unsanitary condition or abandonment, constitutes a fire hazard or a hazard to public safety or health.

[LEECH21]

Dark, you are then originally from Willmar? How long did you live there? I'm sure your loving the river life a lot more then the Kandiyohi County lakes, huh

[LEECH21]

Hey Dark, I just took a look at your last name in your profile..are you related to Jeff?

[DARK30]

My Dad's family come from the Lake Lillian area. I don't know a Jeff off hand but maybe somewhere along the line......

We lived in that house in the late 60"s-early 70's while my Dad was in Vietnam. Then we moved to Goodfellow AFB Texas for a while (where I got introduced to catfish) then back to the same house in like 75 or so while he was stationed in Japan. Then we moved to Prior Lake when he retired. Now him and Mom live at the old place near Lake Lillian again...so I do still fish some old spots once in a while. Another thing I remember doing in willmar was biking out to the outlet of Foot Lake.It was just a little spillway going into a ditch but had northerns in there. I remember also my good buddy Kirk Delp from Willmar...his dad would always come home with walleyes for dinner.

Yup, Now I feel old

[doubleUcubed]

Hey Dark, sorry about the old house. Lot's of that type of stuff happening in many of the little towns around. Hey, I did pass by your Dad on his way home from LL yest. I got a dandy 9 Pointer by LL Mon. morning. Boy, with that huge wildlife area South of the Lake there were a few mornings where there were only 3 of us out there! Hardcore's I guess! On another note. I just stopped by my buddy's place on the East shore and his neighbor has his aluminum dock and lift in yet! Holy Moly for ice on that thing! Looks like big candle wicks hanging off of it. I never did get any fall fishing in out there, too darn busy at work. I did hear of some piggies though, don't know if they went back or not? Later.

[DARK30]

Congrats on the buck! I keep thinking I should hunt out at the farm but never do. How are the pheasants looking out there? Dads got a few out south of town but I hate to shoot any....just aren't enough.

Maybe we can hook up on the ice this year.

[doubleUcubed]

Dark, you'd get deer every year out of the farm there. It's an awesome location with some of the neighboring fields and ditches, went through your Dad's grove a few years ago. He gave us permission as your Mom was out of town! Guess she must have had a pet deer there? We chased some out but never got any. For the pheasants? It's by far the most I've seen in many years, lot's of different age birds this year. With the late/wet harvest and the last few nasty weekends there should be some good hunting yet. Yup, gotta do the ice fishing thing this year. I just stopped by the East shore to check on the dock and lift in the water (I mean ice), not a good site. Three guy's on the dock with hammers and chisels! A good 2-4 inches of ice on the dock and the big boat lift is a nightmare! There has to be 8-10 inches of ice on the runners and legs. With that nasty WNW wind it just kept building up with every wave. They also have to take out the guy's Grandma's dock a hundred feet away and not any better. I walked down by them and said the good thing is that this will only happen to you once! Yup, he sure didn't think it would freeze like this. The whole lake is froze over and I wouldn't be surprised to see it stay.