Cadiz approves plan to clean up Maplewood Ave. nuisance property

Cadiz Village Council approved an ordinance Nov. 13 to proceed with a real estate purchase contract and a consent, release and waiver agreement involving a privately owned property at 132 Maplewood Ave. The measure, Ordinance 2025-35, was read as an emergency.

Earlier in the meeting, Village Solicitor Chuck Kidder briefed council on the issue and said that while the agreement may not be an ideal arrangement, it would allow the village to clean up the long-problematic property and remove it from its nuisance list.

“It’s comprised of a couple of components. One, there are three living heirs,” Kidder said. He added that all three heirs have agreed to sign a waiver of consent authorizing the village to carry out cleanup work on the property.

Kidder said the next step is to obtain cost estimates to complete the cleanup. Once the work is finished, the village has the option to purchase the property for $1 through a contract attached to the ordinance.

He noted that the village would need to work with probate court to settle outstanding matters, including delinquent property taxes and an unpaid water bill of approximately $1,200. Kidder said the water bill could potentially be waived with council approval. After probate court issues a certificate of transfer, ownership would revert to the heirs, who would then deed the property to the village.

Kidder said the village could then sell the property through the Cadiz Community Improvement Corporation, though he described the arrangement as a “break-even proposition at best.” The primary benefit, he said, is that the property would finally be cleaned up.

Council member John Vermillion said he had contacted a contractor familiar with the village who estimated the entire cleanup — including removal of a trailer and camper — could be completed for $8,500.

Council also agreed to remove the water tank located at the square. Mayor R. Kevin Jones asked whether the village’s water supply remained safe, and James Jenkins of PAEJ Water & Wastewater Service LLC assured officials that it was.

Jenkins explained that stagnant water inside the tanker truck posed a potential health concern because the truck had not been refilled since being placed at the location. “Eventually, it can grow bacteria and different things if it sits long enough,” Jenkins said. He advised that unless the tanker is filled and used on a weekly schedule, leaving it in place could create more harm than good.

Jenkins said the village continues to produce safe, compliant drinking water. However, he and other officials agreed that not enough residents were using the tanker to keep its supply fresh, making removal the best option.