Eldorado continuing clean up of derelict properties
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Eldorado Street Department employee Josh Griffin is beginning 2012 in the same way he spent much of 2011 by tearing down dilapidating buildings and scooping the remains up into a Dumpster.
Wednesday he began the cleanup effort of a house he demolished across from Eldorado High School at the intersection of Illinois Avenue and University Street.
The house was property of Gary Parks and had sat unoccupied for some time.
Griffin said the city works out deals with most property owners in which owners pay for the Dumpsters and the city tears down the houses or buildings. Often the owners are glad to relieve themselves of the burden of expensive work on structures falling into disrepair and the city is glad to be rid of structures that could pose safety hazards.
"I've done 20 to 25 buildings and houses since last year," Griffin said.
He understands around 500 problem properties have been demolished over the past 15 years since then-Mayor Billy Bradley made city beautification a priority. Now city ordinance officer, Bradley, with the support of Mayor Rocky James and the city commissioners, is continuing to lead the clean up effort.
Wednesday the ground was too soft to get the excavator into the yard of the property without creating a mess and Griffin planned to come back this morning to complete the job on frozen ground.
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DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.</li>
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