by Dennis Dalman
Once again, some members of a mobile-home park association in Sartell addressed the city council, asking for city support in an effort to hold accountable the Colorado-based company that owns that park.
And once again, Sartell Mayor Ryan Fitzthum thanked those residents for sharing their concerns but explained the city has no legal jurisdiction over that park.
“We do sympathize with you,” Fitzthum said, “but we have no authority to take action tonight . . . We appreciate your concerns and the chance to make (your) issues public.”
It is Stearns County, not Sartell, that licenses mobile-home parks, Fitzthum noted. He then noted the presence of Stearns County Commissioner Joe Perske, former Sartell mayor, sitting in the council audience. Fitzthum suggested residents should share their concerns with Perske and the county board.
It was at least the third time residents have addressed the council in the past 18 months or so. The park in question is the one located on Second Avenue S., which was known for years as Hi-Vue trailer court. Several years ago, the park was purchased by Impact Communities of Cedaredge, Colorado. Since then, residents have compiled a list of grievances that include rapidly rising lot rents (now $500 per month), ever-increasing fees for other services (water and garage pick-up, for examples), water-and-sewer pipe leaks, poorly maintained infrastructures, street and snow-plowing issues, some faulty water meters, lack of an adequate storm shelter (fixed last year but with no bathrooms) and many more issues and concerns.
Impact Communities disputes the validity of many of the conclusions made by the residents’ association. (See paragraph at end of this story.)
About a dozen park residents attended the March 14 council meeting. They are among the members of a residents’ organization founded by John L. Wood. Before the council meeting, those members and others held a “Walk for Justice” in the mobile-home park.
Wood was the first to address the council. He had high praise for the Sartell police and ambulance personnel who rushed to his mobile home one afternoon (March 10) when his wife, Fran, died unexpectedly at home.
Choking back tears at one point, Wood said. “She was the love of my life, and I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye.”
Less than half an hour after that tragedy, a neighbor found a letter in a bag hanging on Wood’s front door. Later, Wood opened the bag and found the letter. It was a notice from park management that he must pay $54.83 in back fees within 10 days or face eviction. Wood said he had, in fact, paid the lot rent and fees for March.
“I’m the fourth one this (eviction threat based on no good reason) has happened to,” Wood told the council. “All we’re asking for is support for issues like this. I want to thank you. God bless, and I pray to God this doesn’t happen to anybody else.”
The other residents/speakers were Michael Chirhart and Pablo Tapia. Chirhart said despite the city’s lack of legal jurisdiction over the park, he asked council members to at least “acknowledge there are problems at the park and advocate on behalf of residents.
“We are in touch with the (state) Attorney General’s Office,” he said. “Your verbal support would help us. Come to our meetings and listen. Stand behind us.”
Tapia told the council problems in the park are going from bad to worse.
“We are waiting for someone to give us support,” he said. “You can take action. You can call the one who owns the park. You can ask him to sit down with our residents’ association.”
Tapia distributed flyers to the council members containing information on how to contact the owners, Impact Communities.
Last summer, Wood received a letter from Shannon Smith, North Regional vice president for Impact Communities. In her letter, Smith stated the following: “Rent increases are the only way to continue to do the improvements necessary, sustain increases in taxes, insurance, payroll, improvements, etc. Yearly rent increases are not just affecting Sartell but every industry and community around the (United States). Even on private land there (are) increase(s) in utilities, taxes, insurance, etc. year over year.”
