Keokuk Mayor Tom Marion, code enforcement officer Kathie Mahoney and other city officials were on hand as well as property owner William Howard. A public hearing was held to discuss the transfer.
Marion said the building is derelict and needs to come down. It is not in good shape and has constant complaints from neighbors about dogs barking and a bad smell from the home, according to city officials.
The mayor said the house “reeks.” He said it is especially bad during summer days when the temperature gets up around 90 degrees. The home can easily be smelled from neighboring houses, Marion said.
“It’s been an eyesore for years,” he said.
There are several dogs in the home that do not get let out. They are always in the home. Howard feeds and waters them regularly and has beaten an animal cruelty charge from the city because he does provide the animals with food, water and shelter.
Clearly, prosecutors don't understand what "cruel confinement" means. So what if he fed the dogs... if they can't lie down without lying in feces and urine, it's animal cruelty! If they can't breathe due to concentrated ammonia levels, it's animal cruelty!
Howard says it is the city’s fault the dogs can’t go outside. He singled out Mahoney as having some sort of vendetta against him personally. He said she ordered his fence taken down and had the posts sawed off at the ground and when he bought materials to put up a new fence, she had them hauled off as well, so he has no choice but to keep his dogs indoors.
He also said he would take garbage out of the home if the city would pick it up. He said he has to hire a private contractor to do so.
The supervisors could do nothing about the city and Howard’s court fights. The two sides have another court date set in July. The county had taken possession of the home because taxes have not been paid.
Howard said he wanted to pay some of the taxes, but the county would only accept payment in full and he didn’t have that much money. Supervisor Larry Kruse told Howard the county is willing to work with taxpayers on setting up a payment plan.
Keokuk officials also said Howard has a water bill for several thousand dollars to pay. Howard said that is because he was arrested and spent eight months in jail and during that time his pipes froze and busted. When he got out of jail, he was handed a $600 water bill and told he had to pay it.
“This is pay back because we went to court and I beat them and they don’t like it,” Howard said.
He urged the supervisors to at least wait on a decision until after the next court date in July.
Kruse said from the photos shown by the city officials that the home is obviously a hazard that has not been maintained. He said the reasons the property hasn’t been maintained may be valid, but that is beyond the board of supervisor’s control.
The board voted to transfer the property to the city after closing the public hearing.
“You’re willing to give it to the city for $1 instead of working with a veteran,” Howard said.
He did thank the supervisors for the county assistance he’s received as a disabled veteran, although he said Mahoney contends he is not disabled.
Later, Marion said the city will give Howard a couple of weeks to remove the dogs from the house and up to 30 days to remove other possessions from the building.
Then the city will hire a contractor to demolish the structure and try to sell the land, which Marion estimated is worth $1,500.
(Daily Gate - April 21, 2010)