Minutes

A meeting of the Ogallala Board of Health was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Chairman Dr. Paul Foy in the City of Ogallala Administration Building, 411 East Second Street, Ogallala, Nebraska. Members present: Dr. Paul Foy, new board member CJ Poltack, Mary Lou Heelan, and Secretary Dave Kling. Absent: Dr. Kurt Johnson. Also present: Ogallala Police Department Code Enforcement Officer Eric Troxel.

Notice of the meeting was given in advance by publication in the Keith County News, the designated method of giving notice. Notice of the meeting was delivered to members of the Board of Health by hand delivery of an Ogallala Police Officer.

A motion was made by Mary Lou Heelan to approve the minutes of the December 20, 2005 Board of Health meeting, seconded by Dave Kling. Voting Yes: Dr. Foy, Heelan and Kling. Voting No: None. Abstain: Poltack. Absent: Dr. Johnson. Motion carried.

Public Forum: Dr. Foy opened the public forum and invited any individual wishing to speak to the board to come to the podium. Dr. Foy advised that the Public Forum would remain open for the duration of the public meeting.

Officer Troxel presented the Code Enforcement Activity for December 2005-January 2006. Officer Troxel advised that he had made contact with a representative of the Union Pacific Railroad and the weed situation on their property had been taken care of.

Officer Troxel said that he also dropped 3 Ordinance Notices on Albert Jimenez at 517 Platteview and all problems had been taken care of. Officer Troxel told the board that Jimenez is now living in Lincoln County. Officer Troxel said that he had contact with several of the neighbors and they approved of the work done by Jimenez. Discussion was held pertaining to the actual ownership of 517 Platteview. Officer Troxel said that he would check to see if the property is actually owned by Jimenez.

Further discussion was held pertaining the Tim Chandler property located at 201 South Spruce Street in Ogallala. Chief Kling was able to contact KLH Retirement Planning and found that KLH Retirement Planning is a group that pays back taxes on property throughout Nebraska. They then have a lien on the delinquent taxes. Clark Foster, from KLH, told Chief Kling that they have to pay the taxes for 3 years then they can foreclose on the property. Until that time they are not allowed, by law, to contact the owner, set foot on the property, or do any improvements. Foster was going to look up when they started paying the taxes, and later found that they should start foreclosure proceedings in March of 2006. Foster said that after that it was about 5-6 month of time before the property would be put up for sale at a Sheriff’s Auction, after going through the foreclosure in district court. If no one buys the property at that time, they retain ownership. Foster said that many times the property owner will pay KLH the delinquent taxes to retain ownership as the property is worth more than the taxes. Based on this information the board decided to hold off any enforcement on the property.

Discussion was held regarding the possible cockroach problem at Erlewine Trailer Court. Officer Troxel advised that he had spoken to Rod Scofield, the manager of the court and found that Scofield was unable to locate any cockroaches in the septic system. Chief Kling reported the he had found that an officer had contact with occupants of the trailer in question in October and at that time had observed cockroaches on the floor of the trailer. The information was passed on the HHS and the subjects moved out a short time later. It appears that the cockroaches had been contained at Trailer #18, which was later fumigated by Joe Malone. Officer Troxel said that he had contact with Malone, who told him that he had sold the trailer to an unknown subject for $1. As the board was unable to substantiate a cockroach problem at any trailer other then Trailer #18, and the cockroaches had been eradicated from that trailer, the board will end its involvement with this matter.

Discussion was held regarding other properties of concern. Dr. Foy mentioned some code problems around the city, including trash at the Goldenspur Restaurant and some unlicensed vehicles he had been told about. Officer Troxel was directed to check into the problems and report back to the board.

Dr. Foy also advised that he had been contacted by an anonymous citizen about the Bullock Motors property and numerous code violations. Discussion was held about sending a letter to the owner of the property with a list of violations and requesting that the property be brought into code. Dr. Paul Foy made a motion to send the letter, which was seconded by Mary Lou Heelan. Voting Yes: Dr. Foy, Heelan, Kling and Poltack. Voting No: None. Absent: Dr. Kurt Johnson. Motion carried.

No further business to come before the Board, Mary Lou Heelan made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Dave Kling. Voting Yes: Dr. Foy, Heelan, Poltack and Kling. Voting No: None. Absent: Dr. Johnson. Motion Carried.

Meeting adjourned at 7:54 P.M.

________________________

Secretary – Dave Kling