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County Highway Department eyes up Wayne eyesore
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By Andrew Kuehl
akuehl@kewaskumstatesman.com
KEWASKUM- WEST BEND- Township residents might get some help from the county to rid itself of condemned property in the middle of the town. The Washington County Highway Committee met Tuesday, June 5, to talk about taking ownership of the home at the corner of Highways H and W. The home has back taxes owed to Washington County on it since 2002.
Washington County Highway Commissioner Ken Pesch wants to see the home demolished and the corner made into a vision triangle for the intersection. Town of Wayne chairman Scott Weiss and Clerk Chris Kuehn attended the meeting and offered the township’s help in moving the process along.
The home is currently owned by Matthew Hildebrand and was reported unfit for human habitation in 2000. Currently the home has a mortgage balance of around $50,000 and taxes in the amount of around $11,000 that includes a special assessment from the town of Wayne.
After the family was removed from the home, the town of Wayne somewhat cleaned up the property. They left a $1,900 tab via a special assessment on the tax rolls for the county to collect. Weiss and Kuehn stated the town would be forgive the assessment if the county took ownership of the property.
County Attorney Kim Nass told the commissioners that the property was available to be assumed by the county on back taxes. To start that process the highway committee needed to ask the finance committee to look into the matter.
From there the finance committee will review it and they could recommend that the county board take ownership of the property. During that time the highway committee would need to have an environmental study completed on the property so a demolition plan can be developed.
Nass did report that a California company held a mortgage on property and has not made an attempt to regain the property. According to Weiss and Kuehn the structure on the property is reported to be lacking a proper septic system and a well. Asbestos is also likely and during an inspection that lead to the removal of the homeowners, traces of lead paint were found. On the bright side, evidence of an underground storage tank is unlikely.
Pesch indicated that after the vision triangle was constructed the County Clerk could sell a remnant parcel.
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