PARKERSBURG - Wood County commissioners awarded a clean-up job on Meadville Road to Empire Builders for the bid quote of $2,800.

Two bids were turned in for the cleanup of the property owned by Betty Akers. The property has been the subject of complaints since 2004 and found by county officials to be a safety/health hazard. Akers was given multiple opportunities to clean up on her own. The bids opened earlier were submitted by Empire, for $2,800, and Graham Excavating, for $3,300.

County compliance officer John Reed said the property is covered with debris and trash in the front and back yards, and there are several parked vehicles filled with items. Some have been in place so long they are sinking into the ground.

On Thursday, Akers asked the commissioners for 30-60 more days to move some of the items.

"My storage building was destroyed. I can have work done on the trailer to try and move some of them there, to copy some of them," she said, noting some of the bags contain "research material."

"But, they've been laying outside for a long time. Some have been there so long there are actually saplings growing up through the bags, and they have cat urine on them and have been rained on," county Commissioner Blair Couch noted.

"You know you're not going to use them. Why don't you just get rid of it. It's been out there too long. We're a community and sometimes we just need to help each other and this is one of those times," Commissioner Wayne Dunn said.

"I'm doing conservation work. I can remove the bagged materials. They shouldn't be classified as debris. It may not look good, but it's not trash," Akers told county officials.

"It's gone on too long. We have an obligation to the citizens," commission President Rick Modesitt said.

Also Monday, Reed showed commissioners photos of the Odie Weaver property near Thomas Run and Pond Creek Roads in Belleville.

"A gentleman passed away at the residence back in May, and the Pond Creek Volunteer Fire Department had to tear down the door to get to his body," Reed told commissioners, showing photos of blue ripped tarps over the roof. "The back door is missing. The trash is piled up probably three or four feet inside the house. It was condemned in June. There is so much trash inside it's actually pushing the front of the house away from the foundation," Reed said.

Reed said there was also a trailer on the back of the property, which is filled with trash. "There is no sanitary sewer in the home and I found snake skins laying all around in the debris," Reed said.

Reed noted the property owner is being cooperative. She no longer lives at the residence. She did not appear for the meeting on Monday with commissioners. Reed said she called and said she was sick.

The commissioners voted unanimously to send a certified letter giving the property owner 15 days to appear before the commission and show cause why they should not proceed to seek clean-up bids.

Under the county's ordinance, commissioners can declare properties safety and/or health hazards and order cleanup. The ordinance established a committee to review complaints regarding properties that might be ruled public health and or safety hazards. The complaints are investigated and documented through Reed as compliance officer, and county engineer Bill Brown. Property owners are notified of violations and given the chance to meet with the county commission on a clean-up plan. Ultimately, the commission can order cleanup. If the property owner doesn't comply, the county can have the job done, a lien is placed on the property to recoup the cost, if the property owner doesn't reimburse the county for the cost of the project.