M.C. Unsafe Building Board updates on open cases

Members of the Marshall County Unsafe Building Board received an update on the three cases that are currently active by County Building Inspector Chuck Garmon.

The first property is located at 3849 Rose Road with a Walkerton address, Matt Rice Power Washing LLC.  Garmon visited the site on January 22^nd to determine if repairs that were ordered in 2023 had been completed. He said all repairs have been completed although it doesn’t have permanent power.  There is an outstanding electric bill that is being paid but when a generator was used the light water and such worked properly.  The building inspector recommended taking the property off the unsafe list. 

The county Unsafe Board approved the recommendation and removed Matt Rice Power Washing LLC from the active cases for the Unsafe Building Board. 

The second property owned by Ted Cook at 9842 State Road 331 in Bourbon was visited on January 17^th by the county building inspector.  Garmon said there are a couple of broken windows, but the property appears to have been cleaned up.  There are some holes in the block walls of the lean-to and a hole in the driveway that needs to be addressed.  The building inspector couldn’t get into the property that was formerly a butchering facility. 

Bourbon Clerk-Treasurer Kim Berger said her concerns with the property were due to a fire 5 to 7 years ago and wondering if it was ever cleaned up. 

The county building inspector said he would attempt to get access to the inside of the building to see if the fire damage was taken care of.   He will ask them to cover the hole in the roof on the lean-to and cover the windows. Garmon will check the file for past communications to see if there are other issues to address. He did say the issues with tall grass and weeds are ordinance violations and commented, “unsightly isn’t unsafe.”

The final case update was 516 Lincoln Highway in Bourbon, the Kimberly Balsley property.  Mr. Garmon visited the property on January 17^th and said it was in bad shape.  The home is completely open behind the bushes with a 15 to 20 section of the wall missing.   

Slabaugh and Sons have been contracted to demo the property.  They will tear off and remove the shingle roof, dig a hole, burn the home, and cover up the remains.

Garmon said the red shed will be taken down but the large pole barn in the back of the property is in good shape and will remain.