Controversy rocks the Creek

May 08, 2008 11:52 pm

— ROCK CREEK — Village officials woke up to quite a surprise Wednesday morning when large barricades were found in front of the village maintenance garage, inhibiting employees from getting equipment in or out of the facility.
The building and property, located on West Water Street is owned by council member Todd Skytta. Skytta bought the property about three years ago.
The building sits on 41 acres of land that Skytta has been paying property taxes on because village officials refuse to do so. Skytta is also upset because people are dumping garbage at the back of the property and he is having to pay for its removal.
“I own the property,” he said. “(The village) isn’t paying rent or anything and I’m paying the taxes.”
The village has a 99-year lease on the property that was written and signed 20 to 25 years ago, Skytta said.
When Skytta bought the property, he never signed the lease as the new landlord.
“Any time property transfers, a new lease should be signed,” he said. “The lease is so lame. It says (rent) is $1 or $10, but no one knows if it is per month or per year. That’s how lame it is.”
Skytta said the village has not paid any rent or property taxes for about a year now and he’s tired of picking up the tab, so he barricaded the building.
“(Officials) said they would pay back taxes but only if I signed the lease,” he said.
Skytta said his legal counsel is advising him not to sign the lease. The more than 20-year-old lease also states if garbage or rubbish is not picked up the lease is void, he said.
Skytta has been trying to negotiate some sort of deal that would benefit both the village and himself regarding the property. Skytta is interested in 10 acres of the 64-acres of industrial property the village purchased to build an industrial park. The land is sitting vacant at the moment until officials decide what they want to do with it. The majority of the land is in Morgan Township and would need to be annexed into the village before the industrial park is built.
Skytta offered to turn over ownership of the property and maintenance garage if officials would allow him to purchase the 10 acres of industrial land at $500 an acre.
“They don’t seem to want to do it,” he said.
Skytta said he cleared a small section at the garage so officials could do some cleaning he asked them to do, but will not remove the barricades until an agreement is reached.
“All my money’s going out and I’m sick of it,” he said.
Mayor Beverly Martin refused comment until she consulted with the village’s legal representative. Village Administrator John Casalina said the situation involved “issues that were being taken care of.”

Photos

PILES OF dirt line the driveway leading to the village garage along Water Street in Rock Creek. WARREN DILLAWAY