EATON — According to Jerry Wick, Quaker Trace Mobile Home Park (MHP) is being investigated by Ohio Department of Commerce Manufactured Homes Program. Wick spoke to the Preble County Commissioners on Wednesday, Jan. 15, regarding the investigation and his concerns with Sewer District Six (SD6).
He shared an Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board Manufactured Home Community Inspection report filed on Quaker Trace MHP by Gary Whitaker on Jan. 6. It states, “There is raw sewage that is running on top of the ground from septic tank to the northeast corner of the community. It appears that some sort of failure with the underground leaching or sewage lines.”
Wick added, “There is no septic tank or leach field at the trailer park. Again, there is no underground sewage or leach lines. When I talked to [a representative with the Manufactured Homes Program] she said they have a history with the individual who owns this trailer park. He owns other trailer parks and it is the same situation.”
He explained, they are the licensing agency for the trailer park, but cannot “shut it down” without cooperation of Ohio EPA.
Wick said, “This is a gift for you folks. You need to stick this in the EPA’s face and tell them, ‘We’re done with meetings, until you fix this problem.’ Now we’re back into the finger-pointing mode. The EPA is going to point to the health department, [they’re] going to say it’s the EPA, and [the prosecutor’s office] won’t do anything. Anything in that trailer park is the EPA, once that sewage flows out of the property lines, it’s on the local health officials. EPA says the same thing.”
Commissioner Rodney Creech asked if Wick could “get that in writing.”
“My question is, how long is the Preble County Prosecutor and Preble County Health Department going to allow this health crisis to continue and grow? Like I’ve said many times before, if that raw sewage flows through my neighborhood, how long would they put up with that if it was flowing in front of their house?” Wick questioned. “I strongly urge the commissioners to tell the Preble County Prosecutor to file charges on the Preble County Health Department. They’re just not doing their jobs.”
In other business, Commission Clerk Kim Keller reported receiving a letter from Ohio Development Services Agency regarding a pre-application letter it received for the Village of Lewisburg for a Target of Opportunity Downtown Program, which used to be called Downtown Revitalization. Preble County must apply on behalf of the Village of Lewisburg, but according to Keller, this is the first she is hearing of the pre-application and Lewisburg’s desire to apply.
She added, she will work on the application, but is “unhappy” no one “bothered” to notify the Commission Office before sending in a pre-application.
Commissioner Creech promised to reach out to representatives of the Village of Lewisburg.
Commissioner Denise Robertson recommended the office issue a commendation to Major Joe Renner for his 38-plus years of service and recent retirement. Commissioner Creech added, they were never asked to do a commendation for Major Renner, but would be in support if the board chose to do so.
“I think it is appropriate, I just think it got overlooked,” Creech said.
“I just think we should do something,” Robertson said.
The board asked Keller to contact the Sheriff’s Office to coordinate.
In other business, the board:
•Noted receipt of a court entry from Judge Overmyer referencing collection of court costs, special funds probate magistrate fees for the month of December, 2019.
•Approved a resolution authoring an expenditure of $5,900 for flyover photograph of the Preble County Landfill to update the topographic mapping.
•Approved a resolution authorizing an expenditure of $9,000 for the purchase and installation of fencing around the public drop-off recycling bins at National Trail Schools.
•Noted receipt of and signed amendment #1 to the courthouse parking lot construction agreement with Prograde to extend completion date.
•Noted receipt of and signed two Border Bridge agreements with Union County and Wayne County, Indiana.
The Preble County Board of Commissioners meet every Monday and Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Preble County Courthouse, unless noted otherwise.
