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Health Committee Notes 06/07/05 "This past Saturday, June 4th, members of the Union Health Committee conducted an investigation of 8 properties on which the village received previous complaints. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the status of several previously inspected properties, as well as to inspect new properties and identify discrepancies requiring owners' notice. The inspection was conducted in compliance with the 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, Union's official source for property ordnance issues. Some improvements were made to previously inspected properties, and the Board of Health recognizes and appreciates all improvements made. However, several significant health and safety deficiencies were evident in a few properties, including the railroad property adjacent to the western portion of the village. The Village Board will meet to review the inspection results at the Board meeting on 7 June at 1900 in the clerk's office. Owners of the properties in violation of the village's ordinances will be contacted by mail shortly. To avoid possible violations of the Uniform Code, simply ensure your house or building on your property is a sound structure that poses no health or safety risks to neighbors or members of the public and clean up any trash piles you may have around your yard that could attract rodents or vermin. If you have any appliances in your yard that you're waiting to discard during the Village's cleanup this fall, ensure doors are removed so children can't get trapped inside. Finally, we will have a follow up review on abandoned vehicles in the Village in the very near future. If you received a notice in the past about an abandoned vehicle on your property, now is the time to get rid of it. Check out the Village's Website Health Committee page for places to contact to come and tow your vehicle. Otherwise, the Village will tow it at your expense. We truly appreciate the concern citizens of Union have in cleaning up our village. Kudos to those of you that take pride in your properties! Your individual efforts to improve your yards and homes does significantly impact the appearance, health and safety of Union. Common sense and common courtesy go a long ways towards improving the overall sense of community we share."
The Village Board and Health Committee are serious about cleaning up Union… We want to make the village a safe, clean environment for homeowners and their families. We also want folks to take pride in our community; the village’s 120th Anniversary is coming up in 2006, and we’re expecting that the town will be bright and ready for that significant milestone in its history. While that’s still two years away, cleanliness and safety are two issues that concern us today… Deb, the Village Clerk, has notified individuals who need to remove abandoned vehicles. For those who have not responded, you will be receiving a letter in the mail shortly informing you that you have 10 days to remove your vehicle or it will be towed off your property, with a county sheriff present, at your expense. As unpleasant as the duty may be, enforcing the village ordinances is the Board’s responsibility. The Village has provided ample prior notice as well as information on how to make best use of your abandoned vehicle; either have it removed, donate it for tax write-offs, etc. Now we have to enforce the ordinances for everyone’s benefit. The abandoned vehicle info is still attached in this letter below. Several complaints have been received by the Board in reference to homeowners who collect trash in their yards/around their houses/on their porches. Those complaints are not concerned merely with aesthetic appeal, but are genuine concerns on environmental issues. Piles of trash attract rodents and pests. Whether those piles are on porches, near your houses, or out in your yards, your best bet is to clean them up before the village sends out letters. The Health Committee will ask for assistance from outside agencies to determine if those houses are/are not public nuisances. If you think your house might be one of those in issue, please take the time to clean up your property. Finally, the Village is considering participating in the Great American Cleanup (GAC) (http://www.kab.org/) The program is a national effort to motivate people to volunteer a few hours of their time in conducting community cleanups and beautification initiatives. Last year’s efforts included an estimated 2.3 million volunteers and 7,020,000 volunteer hours recorded in 42 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico… If you’re interested in joining the effort and want to help beautify Union, please contact Deb. The Village Board and the Health Board are constantly striving to improve the quality of life in Union. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the office… What can you do about your abandoned vehicle?
That’s right, several organizations including Kidney Foundations, Blind Foundations, and even the Salvation Army all accept barely running, old, pretty much worthless vehicles as donations and give you the benefit of a tax write off… They will even come by and pick up the vehicle from your property! Some are stricter than others as far as what they’ll accept; almost all require the person donating the vehicle to have their name on the vehicle’s title. I’ve found the Salvation Army to be the easiest, most flexible in their requirements… just give them a call and arrange a time for pickup. None of them require the vehicle to have current registration. For your convenience, here’s a list of some of the organizations that will accept cars as donations: www.voa.org (Volunteers of America)
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