A look at vehicles on Brad Stahl’s property at Fourth and Catholic Streets in Pierceton. That property was discussed at a special Pierceton Town Council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

PIERCETON — County officials have been contacted to help clean up a man’s property in Pierceton.

At a special Pierceton Town Council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19, former council member and town resident Mandy Espinoza said he’d reached out to Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Director Matt Sandy regarding property owned by Brad Stahl.

Stahl’s properties have been the subject of repeated complaints at town council meetings for noncompliance with Pierceton’s junk vehicle and unsafe building ordinances.

Recently, Stahl left a junk plane on his property at Fourth and Catholic Streets, with Town Marshal Jim Bumbaugh giving him a warning before citing him.

As of Thursday, the plane was still there, with Stahl adding more vehicles to the property.

Pierceton is working on sending letters to Stahl and other property owners in noncompliance with town ordinances, noted town leaders at the meeting.

Espinoza acknowledged that, but added that the county would contact Stahl as well.

“(Sandy) said it would be better to have two government agencies (trying to get Stahl to comply),” said Espinoza.

He noted he researched when the plane was last registered, which was in September 2013 in Oklahoma. Indiana law only allows a plane to not be currently registered if “it’s junk and (being sold) for parts,” said Espinoza.

He said he also looked at local government law regarding what is deemed a residential district.

“The residential district is limited to … uses which are normally associated with residential neighborhoods. The purpose of this district is to create an attractive, stable and orderly residential environment,” said Espinoza, mentioning that definition might help leaders in trying to get Stahl to clean up his property.

Once the letters are sent out by Pierceton to Stahl and other property owners regarding noncompliance with the junk vehicle ordinance, they will have a certain number of days to move the vehicles before a court order could be sought to force them to comply, said Town Attorney Tammy Keirn.

Bumbaugh is also working with Keirn on updating town ordinances with stiffer penalties.

The council’s next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at the Pierceton Community Building.