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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, November 09, 2009 Page 20 Mr. Munson summarized the proposed abatement, consisting of removal and dis- posal of extensive junk and household furnishings, removal, storage and eventual disposal of household furnishings stored outside, at a cost originally estimated at $2,850.00. Mr. Munson advised that staff had finally been able to meet with the property owner earlier today; and was therefore revising the Request for Council Action based on that discussion. Mr. Munson advised that the original complaint had been from a neighbor; with the property owner admitting that most of the junk and debris in the yard was from her emptying her garage, and had minimal value. Therefore, Mr. Munson suggested that the items were not proposed for storage; and that the property owner was amenable to and intended to dispose of the material, but could not afford a dumpster at this time, nor would she commit to a date for the work to be completed. Mr. Munson advised that the property owner had paid someone to bring in a dumpster, but that had failed to do so and she had lost the money she paid them to do so. Mr. Munson asked the property owner if she planned to attend tonight's meeting, to which she responded nega- tively. Mr. Munson suggested a simplified and less costly process, to hire a contractor and place the items in the dumpster, eliminating the need for storage and reducing the total estimated cost to approximately $1,000. Staff recommended that the Community Development Department be authorized to abate the public nuisance violations at 2026 Asbury Street. Discussion included determining that the property owner had no apparent physical or mental disability preventing them from accomplishing this clean up; verifica- tion that the property owner was not a senior citizen; staff recommending area agencies (Northwest Youth and Family Services) that could assist the property owner with the work; and the potential for financial assistance in providing the dumpster. Mr. Munson advised that the property owner seemed willing to dispose of the ma- terial, and staff was intending to place a dumpster on the property, allowing her the first opportunity to perform the work before hiring a contractor, which would further reduce costs; and would allow the property owner a year to reimburse the cost of the dumpster before being assessed to property taxes. Klausing moved, Roe seconded, directing staff to abate the above-referenced pub- lic nuisance violation(s) at 2026 Asbury Street; by hiring a general contractor to remove and dispose of junk and debris, as detailed in Request for Council Action dated November 9, 2009, at an estimated total cost of approximately $1,000.00; and further directing that the property owner be billed for all actual and adminis- trative costs; and if those charges remain unpaid, staff is to recover costs as speci- fied in Minnesota Statute, Section 407.07B; with costs to be reported to the City Council following the abatement.