Eldorado takes aim on 48 dilapidated homes

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Eldorado city commissioners on Tuesday received a book containing photographs of 48 properties Ordinance Officer Bill Bradley has deemed major eyesores to the community.

Most the properties are ones that have entered a seemingly unending cycle of tax sales.

The back taxes are purchased, sight unseen, by people mainly from far away for the back taxes, which can net - by state law - astronomical interest rates.

Because the properties are often abandoned, in disrepair or have been sold several times for taxes, original owners have no desire to pay the back taxes and huge interest amounts. At the end of a holding period, the person purchasing the property for back taxes arrives, discovers the building is in total disrepair, and heads to the courthouse to unburden himself of the property through quirks state legislators have approved in the tax laws.

In the end, legislators had stuck the burden onto villages and cities.

Then, the property again is sold for back taxes - and the problem becomes unending, Eldorado officials have contended.

Many of the properties in the book compiled by Bradley are in total disrepair.

One suffers extensive black mold and caved-in ceilings.

Some have basements filled with water.

Bradley said the water-filled basements "really worry me." He is concerned neighborhood children may be injured at the properties.

"The seriousness of some of them poses a threat to kids," Commissioner Jeff Minor said.

Mayor Rocky James was appalled when he looked at the list of owners of the properties. He told council the city has been willing to work with people who have few resources to make repairs. However, "some of these (owners) have the money. If we have to take them to court, we will do whatever we have to," he told council.

Bradley has proposed the City Council advertise addresses and names of owners of the 48 properties three times, then hold a public meeting for community discussion of the topic, which he believes has become a serious one in Eldorado.

Bradley asked the council to make as its goal condemnation of 11 properties this year as a starting point.

Tough times

During the meeting, a sign of "hard times" was noted by Police Chief Shannon Deuel.

"People are trying to break into cars," he said. "Everybody needs to keep everything locked up."

At recent past meetings of council, Deuel has said thievery attempts are happening in almost all parts of the community.

"Times are hard," Commissioner Minor said.

Water going up

Council, like all bodies purchasing water from the Saline Valley Conservancy District, has received a letter hiking the wholesale rate for water by 38 cents per thousand gallons.

Eldorado, like Harrisburg, has done the math - the increase is slightly more than 21 percent.

The water supplier said in the notice it has been five years since water rates were increased.

Eldorado commissioners said they soon will take measures to pass the increase on to the city's retail customers

Finances

Finances for the city continue to hold up well, Finance Commissioner Jim Morris said. He again noted supervisors of the city's departments have been aggressively controlling expenditures.

"We did receive some money from the state," he said.

Potholes

As the winter progresses, potholes have become a concern for Street and Alley Supervisor J. B. James.

He said some potholes are starting to show up. He urged residents to call the city clerk's office when they spot one.

During the current cold spell, fixes can't be done; when the weather breaks, city crews will start using cold patch to repair the potholes, he said.

Appreciated

Mayor James said two thank-you cards were received by the city after the most recent snowstorm. He thanked residents for the cards. "It isn't often we receive thanks. We do appreciate those cards," he said.