Nuisance property motions fail due to abstained vote

Two motions concerning nuisance properties failed to pass at the Sept. 26 Grant City Council meeting. Two factors came into play as to why the motions failed to receive the necessary three votes for passage.

Mayor Mike Wyatt and council member Andrea Brueggeman were absent; and Councilman Matt Greenwood abstained on both votes. 

Councilmen Darrell Pierce and Robert Bounds voted for the motions.

Karl Elmshaeuser, executive director of West Central Nebraska Development District, made a presentation to the council to update them on the nuisance properties on the agenda. 

740 Central Ave.

The property at 740 Central Ave., where Bullock Chevrolet is located, was declared a nuisance on July 25, despite Greenwood abstaining from that vote. 

Elmshaeuser said some broken windows have been repaired since the nuisance was declared.

He pointed out Nebraska State Statute 60-1411.03 says any vehicle for sale by a licensed motor vehicle dealer shall be in operable condition.

The actual language of the statute reads, “Unless otherwise specified, a motor vehicle, motorcycle, or trailer advertised for sale shall be in operable condition...”

Elmshaeuser showed the council photos of the property, including aerial photos from 2011, the last time they had worked with the owners to clean up the property.

Currently, a mobile home is sitting on blocks and not secure, as well as a fence that is partially up. There are a multitude of vehicles with broken windows and/or windshields, flat tires or tires half buried in the mud, and trash and weeds throughout the property. 

“If you drive by you know the condition of the lot,” said Elmshaeuser. 

He said part of the motion to abate is to send a letter to the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, advising them that the property has been declared a nuisance and that they are in violation of state statute for inoperable vehicles. 

A letter would also be sent to the property owner letting them know they have 30 days to remove the inoperable vehicles or make them operable. At the end of those 30 days, the city would then impound any vehicles that are inoperable. 

After a motion and second to abate the property, Greenwood said he had talked to the property owners. They had indicated to him they were working hard to correct the violations. 

“Someone went back in and wound ‘em all back up, and now we’re right back where we were,” Greenwood said. ...

804 Logan Ave.

844 Logan rescinded

Wage Ordinance

New Flag Pole

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