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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Evansville Vanderburgh County Building Commission Hearing - August 5, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, August 5, 2026

BodyEvansville, Indiana

SessionCity Council

DateWednesday, August 5, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 31:51

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:03

Hello everyone.

0:04

Today's August 5th, 2026.

0:08

Good afternoon.

0:08

We're here for the administrative hearings for the Evansville Vanderburgh County Building Commission with regard to county properties.

0:26

And my authority is derived from Indiana Code Section 36-7-9.

0:32

And the unsafe building laws and ordinances previously enacted by the Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County.

0:40

I have authority to issue civil penalties up to $5,000.

0:44

I can require performance bonds to be posted.

0:48

I can affirm ordinance violation fines.

0:53

Today the county is requesting that you repair, vacate or raise property or other structures on your property.

1:02

I can affirm, modify, or deny those particular request.

1:08

If you wish to appeal my decision, you may do so by filing an appeal with the Vanderburgh Superior Court within 10 days of my decision.

1:19

If you do not, you may waive your right to an appeal.

1:23

You may find the forms to process an appeal in the Vanderburgh County Clerk's office.

1:30

I guess that's room S250 in this building.

1:34

A magistrate judge in housing court will hear your appeal.

1:40

Now that I've advised you of your rights and my authority, anyone who expects to testify or give evidence today, I would ask that you please stand and raise your right hand.

1:52

So anyone that wants to testify or give evidence.

2:00

Thank you.

2:04

Okay.

2:05

The building commission, uh, just present your first case if you'd like.

2:09

All right.

2:10

Thank you, Your Honor.

2:11

Um, our first case is on page three.

2:13

This is a routine matter.

2:15

Uh CE number 26 CE 85.

2:18

This is an affirmed repair order on a house located at 4612 Detroit Road.

2:23

We have uh Mr.

2:24

Goodrich here, uh representing Amber Preske.

2:27

There's also a Fred Fisher and a Darlena Lancaster here on this property.

2:32

Uh report by the department, the property is vacant and secure, the yards are not acceptable due to overgrown weeds and grass.

2:38

The property's been inspected seven times.

2:40

There's been no progress on the repairs.

2:42

There are no permits on file, and there has been contact with the owner.

2:47

Um there was a garage on this order, or there was a raise order on a garage as well.

2:52

That was affirmed to the June 3rd hearing.

2:54

So we're just here on the repair order on the house for now.

2:58

So the uh garage, I'm sorry.

3:02

The garage has been raised.

3:03

It's been affirmed.

3:04

We're getting ready to submit for bids from a okay, thank you.

3:09

So we uh Mr.

3:10

Goodridge, do you want to come up?

3:13

Uh request uh multiple underbreak my client compliance.

3:21

I was just retained today.

3:27

I think we can make progress.

3:30

What do you think can be done?

3:32

Uh we can definitely address the weed issue uh and then uh I will meet with the uh commission to find out or get a list of things that need to be done to be able to tackle them in a game plan.

3:45

And it looks like the uh garage or shed.

3:50

So both garage and shift.

3:55

Shed in the back.

3:56

And you've asked that you raised.

3:58

Is that correct?

3:59

The little shed that can that she wants to repair just want to keep out on line with that.

4:03

So I was gonna say the the shed uh or garage.

4:09

It's one physical structure.

4:11

Um I'll call it a shed from here on out.

4:14

Uh the shed raise order has already been affirmed, so that one I believe is currently in the process of bidding.

4:20

Um so at least for the matter today.

4:23

Uh we have no objection to the one month.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Housing Code Enforcement█████████████████████████████████████████████90%

Procedural█████10%

Summary of Proceedings

Evansville Vanderburgh County Building Commission Hearing - August 5, 2026

The Evansville Vanderburgh County Building Commission held an administrative hearing on August 5, 2026, at 12:59 PM, under authority derived from Indiana Code Section 36-7-9. The hearing addressed three properties: two evidentiary cases and one routine case. The hearing officer affirmed a vacate and raze order for a fire-damaged home, continued a repair order case to allow compliance, and continued another case due to lack of service.

Public Comments & Testimony

Darlene Lancaster (neighbor of 4612 Detroy Road) expressed frustration over the ongoing condition of the property, stating it had been a problem for seven years and that the property had been sold in a tax sale (finalizing in September 2026). She questioned the owner's ability to make repairs. The hearing officer acknowledged her concerns and indicated the tax sale would be investigated.

Discussion Items

4612 Detroy Road – Repair Order (Routine Case CE 26 CE 85): Owner represented by Mr. Goodrich (for Amber Preske, Fred Fisher, and Darlena Lancaster). The property was vacant and secure, but yards were overgrown; seven inspections had occurred with no progress. A garage had already been ordered razed. The building commission requested a continuance to allow the owner to address violations. Mr. Goodrich stated his client could address the weed issue and work with the commission. The hearing officer continued the case to October 14, 2026, at 1:00 PM, noting the next hearing date was already set for that date.
1971 Indian Mounds Boulevard – Vacate and Raze Order (Evidentiary Case 26 CE 128): Owner Richard Mers (or Merce) was present. Code enforcement inspector Kenneth Knox testified that the property had been inspected three times since October 2025, was fire-damaged (fire on January 18, 2023), and was unsafe. The owner explained he had been caring for his parents, had insurance lapsed, and wished to repair the structure. The building commission recommended vacating and razing the property. The hearing officer affirmed both orders, citing the structure's unsafe condition, fire hazard, public nuisance, and blight. The owner was informed of the right to appeal within 10 days.
3056 Grove Street – Repair Order (Evidentiary Case 26 CE 129): Owner Carlos Amaya. The building commission reported that service had not been obtained and an additional address was found. The case was continued to October 14, 2026, at 1:00 PM to allow for proper service.

Key Outcomes

4612 Detroy Road: Continued to October 14, 2026, at 1:00 PM for compliance review. The owner's representative must contact the commission within two weeks.
1971 Indian Mounds Boulevard: Vacate and raze orders affirmed. The owner may appeal within 10 days to the Vanderburgh Superior Court. The hearing officer issued written findings of fact.
3056 Grove Street: Continued to October 14, 2026, at 1:00 PM to allow for service on the owner.

Meeting Transcript

Hello everyone. Today's August 5th, 2026. Good afternoon. We're here for the administrative hearings for the Evansville Vanderburgh County Building Commission with regard to county properties. And my authority is derived from Indiana Code Section 36-7-9. And the unsafe building laws and ordinances previously enacted by the Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County. I have authority to issue civil penalties up to $5,000. I can require performance bonds to be posted. I can affirm ordinance violation fines. Today the county is requesting that you repair, vacate or raise property or other structures on your property. I can affirm, modify, or deny those particular request. If you wish to appeal my decision, you may do so by filing an appeal with the Vanderburgh Superior Court within 10 days of my decision. If you do not, you may waive your right to an appeal. You may find the forms to process an appeal in the Vanderburgh County Clerk's office. I guess that's room S250 in this building. A magistrate judge in housing court will hear your appeal. Now that I've advised you of your rights and my authority, anyone who expects to testify or give evidence today, I would ask that you please stand and raise your right hand. So anyone that wants to testify or give evidence. Thank you. Okay. The building commission, uh, just present your first case if you'd like. All right. Thank you, Your Honor. Um, our first case is on page three. This is a routine matter. Uh CE number 26 CE 85. This is an affirmed repair order on a house located at 4612 Detroit Road. We have uh Mr. Goodrich here, uh representing Amber Preske. There's also a Fred Fisher and a Darlena Lancaster here on this property. Uh report by the department, the property is vacant and secure, the yards are not acceptable due to overgrown weeds and grass. The property's been inspected seven times. There's been no progress on the repairs. There are no permits on file, and there has been contact with the owner. Um there was a garage on this order, or there was a raise order on a garage as well. That was affirmed to the June 3rd hearing. So we're just here on the repair order on the house for now. So the uh garage, I'm sorry. The garage has been raised. It's been affirmed. We're getting ready to submit for bids from a okay, thank you. So we uh Mr. Goodridge, do you want to come up? Uh request uh multiple underbreak my client compliance. I was just retained today. I think we can make progress. What do you think can be done? Uh we can definitely address the weed issue uh and then uh I will meet with the uh commission to find out or get a list of things that need to be done to be able to tackle them in a game plan. And it looks like the uh garage or shed. So both garage and shift.

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