By Fay Abrahamsson, Harbor News Senior
Staff Writer:
CLINTON:
In a
first-of-its-kind move, the Board of Selectmen has placed a lien on a blighted
address in town in an effort to ensure a clean up of the property transpires
without delay.
The property, 9 Blaine Avenue,
has been cited with blight, said First Selectman William “Willie” Fritz.
“The elderly
gentleman who owns the home does not have the ability to rectify this on his
own,” said Fritz at a Nov. 19 Board of Selectmen meeting.
Properties laden
with blight, such as those with excess debris or decaying or dilapidated
objects in the yard that are visible from a public view would fall under the
town’s Blight Ordinance enacted in August 2005. According to the ordinance,
examples of blight include abandoned, discarded, or unused objects; junked
autos, boats, and recreation vehicles; and furniture, auto parts, appliances,
cans, boxes, scrap metal, tires, batteries, containers, and garbage that are in
the public view.
The property is
listed as belonging to John Tereshenko, who, according to officials, no longer
resides in the home. Tereshenko’s sister has assumed power of attorney for her
brother, said Fritz. There was no working phone number available at the
property to reach either for comment.
How the deal will
work is that an outside contractor will come in and clear the debris. Based on
prices that Tereshenko’s sister received from three different contractors, the
lien amount is not to exceed $15,000.
“A contractor will
clean up the site; we will pay and lien the property for the cost,” said Fritz.
Fritz said
Tereshenko’s sister plans on selling the property, but not in its current
condition. Once the property is sold, the town will recoup the money it spent
on the clean up due to the lien on the property.
“The money will be
payable to the town upon the sale of property or the transfer of the property,”
said Fritz.
The Blight Ordinance
has seen its share of complaints since it went into effect in 2005. That year,
which saw only six months of the ordinance, eight complaints were launched. In
2006, 18 complaints were filed followed by 11 in 2007 and 37 in 2008.
Clinton Zoning Enforcement Officer Tom Lane receives the complaints in his office.
Residents who have a blight complaint must fill out a form and sign it for the
blight issue to be received and addressed. Forms are available in the First
Selectman’s office and in the Zoning Department at Andrews Memorial
Town Hall.