Slow, steady progress on S&W cleanup
(Photo by MARY MALONE)Doors and windows are being boarded up to secure the trailers at the S&W trailer park as city officials work with the owner to get the property cleaned up.
(Photo by MARY MALONE)City officials are working with the owner of the S&W Motel and trailer park to get the property cleaned up.
PONDERAY — Trash has been picked up and some of the windows and doors boarded at the S&W trailer park, but a lot of work remains to clean up the property.
City officials have been working with property owner Steve Wasick to clean up the site.
During a December City Council meeting, Wasick said he would get bids to determine the cost of cleaning up the property. On Monday, Wasick again joined the meeting by phone. He told Mayor Steve Geiger he has received two bids, estimating the cost will be in the area of $30,000 to get the job done.
"I think we are going to move forward with them ... we would like to get it done all at once," Wasick said. "Once we start on it we could get it done pretty fast."
Due to lack of funds, Wasick requested another month to come up with a plan to get the trailers removed. If nothing else, he said, he will try to have a partially burned trailer, as well as one other, removed right away.
Ponderay Police Sgt. Mike Victorino went through the trailer park on Dec. 7 and took a video of the trash and damage to each unit. All of the units were open and easily accessible, he said. Trash was piled on floors and counters, doors were torn from hinges and other damage visible in the video.
Much of the outdoor trash, including a Dumpster that was overflowing, has since been removed. Geiger said he has heard some additional complaints, however, of loose trash making its way into the neighbors properties, likely coming out as the snow melts.
Due to safety hazards in and around the trailers, one of the immediate tasks Geiger set forth to Wasick in December was to have all of the trailers boarded up so nobody could gain entry. Wasick, who does not live in the area, said he was told at the time the trailers had been padlocked and were secure, but apparently that was not the case. Wasick said he has since hired someone to board up all the doors and the windows that could not be secured. While a few were covered with plywood, some of the windows were not boarded up as of Tuesday.
The S&W has been a topic at council for several months following complaints of a leak in the sewer lateral. Wasick said the sewer line serviced rooms two through nine of the motel. The rooms were being rented out with no sewer access, but Wasick told council members that problem has been addressed.
Wasick will again update council during its first meeting in March.
Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.