LaHarpe hopes for OK on rehab grant

LaHarpe is awaiting word on its acceptance for a housing rehabiliation grant.

LaHarpe recently completed a door-to-door survey for the grant, which provides up to $49,000 per house for repairs to bring the house up to code. The grant application is sponsored by the Western Illinois Regional Council in Macomb.

If approved, the state selects the individual homes receiving repairs. The grant targets a specific area in each town that is approved. Residents who were surveyed in the area of LaHarpe from 2nd Avenue to Railroad Ave. between South 1st Street and South C Street are eligible if the city receives the grant.

Mayor Ken Brown showed the council an unsigned letter he received complaining about the condition of Tim Graves' property, the city's water plant manager. This is the latest in a string of complaints about the property. Past complaints have focused on an old, partially demolished house on the property that may or may not be housing foxes. Graves has also collected a pile of metal items from the city's past two clean up days. Police Chief Justin Livingston has also issued several warnings for failure to keep the property mowed within city ordinance guidelines for grass and weed height.

The letter writer asked if city ordinances were going to be enforced against Graves. Livingston expressed frustration with the current cycle of warnings. All violations are given 10 days notice before a fine is assessed.

“I give him a warning for the junk piles or his grass not being mowed and he always takes care of it within the 10 days,” said Livingston. “The next month I'm right back out there giving him another 10-day warning and he takes care of it within the 10 days.

“Is there any way to make it an automatic citation the next month once a warning has been issued? I'm getting tired of telling him when to mow his yard.”

City Attorney Dick Rasmussen said the city could ticket Graves for the partially demolished house if there was an ordinance that made it a violation. He could be ticketed for having foxes living in it, but the city would have to prove foxes or other nuisance animals were living in it if it went to court.

“If he's in clear violation, give him a ticket,” said Rasmussen.

Brown asked Livingston to issue a warning for the pile of metal items. The Legislative Committee is setting up a meeting to go through the ordinances and see what else can be done about the house and about changing the enforcement of ordinance violations.

The council approved work on two police cars. They approved a bid of $116.72 by Palmer's Auto Sales and Repair Service to replace a window switch in one car and a bid of $292.14 from K & C Enterprises Sales and Service to replace two tire rods on a second police car.

Housewright Contracting turned in the first bill for the demolition of a partially collapsed building in the 100 block of Main Street project. The bill was for $84,893.23.

A Girl Scout troop in LaHarpe donated $132 to the city's Christmas decorating fund established and run by the LaHarpe Golden Rule Club. The fund is used to maintain and buy new city Christmas decorations. The scouts raised the money through a haunted house they had on the east end of town.

Anyone can contribute to the Christmas decoration fund.

The city plans to do some work on the street to the elevator once harvest is finished.

A rededication of the veteran's memorial in the city park was held on Veteran's Day after added improvements to the memorial.

Treasurer Marcia Neff reported the city's insurance bill increased by 3.75 percent, or $1.194, from last year to $32,789.82.