Owen-Withee Police Department supervised a court ordered abatement at 805 Dania Street in the Village of Withee over the past couple of weeks. After the police writing numerous citations in 2023 for public nuisance, accumulation of refuse to property owner Leslie Burkhalter, and numerous discussions at village board meetings, the village went to court to take steps to get the property cleaned up. The issue has been ongoing for a lot longer then a year and a half. The property had been discussed by the village board at least as early as 2019 but with turnover at the police department and a long list of steps that needed to be taken before the village could clean up the property, nothing was done.

In November 2023, Clark County Circuit Court Judge Lyndsey Boon Brunette declared the property a public nuisance and issued an order for abatement. This included removal of all garbage, trash, lumber, construction materials, scrap metal, tarps, appliances, furniture, parts and inoperable equipment. Burkhalter was ordered to repair or remove the blue tarp structure. He was also required to produce evidence that vehicles on the property were operable and licensed. He was given until May 1, 2024 to accomplish these tasks.

This wasn’t done, so beginning May 2, the village was allowed to hire someone to clean up the property. They had 90 days to complete the task. All fees and costs related to the abatement and court case were awarded to the village.

Work on abating the nuisance began on June 24 with a crew from Adams Removal, after approving their quote for $15,000 at the June 10 village board meeting. The work was slowed down when one of the crew was stung by wasps and had to be taken to the emergency room. Time was then spent looking for an exterminator to deal with the wasps. Since the wasps were in everything, the exterminator told the police chief that they would have to spray as they go. Work on the abatement resumed last week.

A number of vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, etc. were removed from the property and will be auctioned off at a future date yet to be determined. In addition six dumpsters of garbage were removed.

Clean up was completed on July 9.