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VALLEY — The City of Valley is taking action on cleaning up some nuisance properties in the city. In unanimously approving a consent agenda, the council effectively confirmed the cost of abating four properties. Five other properties were declared public nuisances with abatements being authorized on them.

Costs have been confirmed on four properties that have been cleaned up. These included lots owned on Newton Road, Combs Road and Summerhill Road.

The Newton Road site cost a total of $5,776.17 to clean up. Property on the same street cost $4,258.78 to clean up. The abatement on Combs Street cost the city $5,250 to clean up and the property on Summerhill Road cost $3,503.77.

Liens have been placed on these properties for the city to recoup these costs.

Declaring a site a public nuisance and authorizing an abatement is the first step in the city taking action in tearing down dilapidated structures, removing the debris and cleaning up the site. Such action has been taken on properties located on 46th Street behind the Rica Motel, at 2408 31st Street, 1706 58th Street, 1804A 46th Street and at 305 U.S. Highway 29.

Some consideration was given to see if the burned-out home on Highway 29 could be restored, given its unusual Spanish villa-like look. The costs of doing that are prohibitive. The council also said there is an IRS lien on the property.

Some of the other structures targeted for abatement are rental properties.

“They are in really bad shape,” said Code Enforcement Officer Reid Riley. “People have been in and out of them and the windows are broken out.”

At one of the houses, a tree fell on it some time ago and has not been removed. Tenants are living in some of the run-down houses and are looking for other places to live.

Riley said it was his opinion that the city needed to move on these houses.

A house on 30th Street in Shawmut is being looked at for possible demolition. The owner has been doing some repair work on the house but more needs to be done to be within city codes. He will be given an opportunity to tell the council his plans for the house before any action is taken.