LIBERTY Trailer park owner faces deadline to fix electric service

One resident was shocked and called the fire department.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LIBERTY -- Township trustees and the Trumbull County Health Department have given a trailer park owner until Jan. 3 to correct electrical deficiencies or the park could be closed.
If the electrical violations at Grimm's Mobile Home Park aren't brought up to code, the township can have the repairs made or trailers removed -- either at the cost of owner Pete Markis.
Grimm's, with its 18 trailers, is on Church Hill-Hubbard Road, not far from the township administration building. Six trailers are unoccupied, and Makis considers them "junk."
Makis said today he may end up closing the 50-year-old park because the work could cost $10,000 to $12,000.
Fire Chief Robert Catchpole said the problems were discovered Nov. 7 when a resident called the fire department because of power surges, saying he was shocked while leaning against the aluminum awning on a trailer.
Two days later, the fire department, health department and county building inspectors were on the scene.
What was found: George Buccella, county health department administrator, said Tuesday that sanitarian Lovella Wyant found wiring "beyond life expectancy."
Wyant gave Makis until Nov. 27 to hire a licensed electrician to bring the electric service up to code and be inspected by the county Jan. 3.
On Tuesday night, trustees approved a resolution setting the same deadlines as the health department.
Catchpole said that if the work isn't done, the trailers could be demolished.
Makis said he wouldn't mind it if the township hauled away the six unoccupied trailers and three or four others in which occupants owe him back rent.
The problem is getting rid of the trailers, Makis explained, because no junk yard will take them.
"Where are they [township] going to put them, in their parking lot?" Makis asked.
Catchpole said electrical problems exist in the distribution system in the park and in the trailers.
Most of the service was found to be substandard, he said.
Service to four or five trailers are connected to Ohio Edison Co. meters. The remainder, the chief said, are connected to the park's own meters.
The park buys electricity from Ohio Edison and resells it to residents, Catchpole said.
yovich@vindy.com