City to make Breyfogle house safer
In an effort to diminish a safety hazard and “eye sore” in the community, the Minneota City Council is moving ahead with fixing the Melvin Breyfogle home on Jefferson Street.
The house was moved to the site next to the Omer Laleman residence a couple of years ago and stands on a wooden basement structure. Breyfogle, who bought the house from the school district for $1 and had their help in moving it to the new site, has been unable to improve the property and currently has not paid the taxes since the home was moved there. He’s indicated to the council an inability to financially improve the property.
After a failed attempt by the city to help Breyfogle secure financing, the council told City Administrator Shirley Teigland to proceed with officially fixing the basement. “The city has contractors to pour the basement floor.
The objective is to get the hole filled,” said Teigland. “All the expenses will be assessed to the property,” said Teigland. The home does not have water or sewer at this time.
“Whatever assessment is made (including attorney fees) will stay with the property,” Teigland stressed. “Our goal is to make it a safe property,” she said.
As a result the city, “Is doing just what’s necessary,” said Teigland. At this time, the city is taking no other action on the property. Teigland said if possession of the property is taken from Breyfogle in the future, it would probably be a county action. The home, originally belonging to Bud Bernardy, was obtained by the school.
The school board wanted to construct a garage on the property so they offered the home for sale. The only bidder was Breyfogle, so the school board sold it for $1 and helped Breyfogle financially have it moved to the property that was owned by Laleman.
After inactivity over the past couple of years, Laleman reported the house as an eye sore and safety hazard and asked the city to do something about it. There have been concerns about children and even adults on the property so the council has decided to make it safer. A pile of dirt from the hole is still standing behind the home.