WALDPORT – A municipal court trial is scheduled June 21 for two owners of five properties fined $137,500 so far by the city of Waldport for a variety of violations of city ordinances after they did not heed a cease and desist order to stop using the properties as a wrecking yard and did not propose a formal cleanup plan.
The city mailed notices of $5,500 daily fines to the owners of W.A.M. Recycling and B&R Leasing starting March 28 and lasting for 25 days.
The companies own own five parcels of land totaling 3.5 acres on the south edge of the city used as a wrecking yard by Coast Towing. The properties are filled with wrecked and stored cars and recreational vehicles, cranes and other heavy equipment, and piles upon piles of vehicle parts, scrap metal, vehicles, barrels, batteries and other debris.
The fines followed a March 11 city-issued cease and desist order to Coast Towing and B&R Leasing owner Richard “Rick” Fidlin of Waldport. The order said he had to stop all operations on the properties on Forestry Lane and come up with a cleanup plan.
The city is using its municipal code and sections on junk, trash, solid waste to issue fines of $1,000 a day on four properties owned by Fidlin’s B&R Leasing. The fifth property is owned by W.A.M. Recycling and Jeremy Gainer of Waldport and is being fined $1,000 a day for the code violations and $500 a day for operating without a city business license.
Fidlin and Gainer had an appearance scheduled Tuesday in Waldport Municipal Court, but their attorney sent a letter requesting a trial – which judge Bruce McCrum set for June 21.
