SCHOFIELD, WI (WSAU) — At long last, a Schofield mobile home park will get its full operating license.
City leaders voted 5-2 on Tuesday to instruct the city clerk to issue the license to operate of Hidden Lakes Estates Mobile Home Park on Grand Avenue, the facility formerly known as the Northern Mobile Home Park.
Mayor Kreg Hoehn says it’s the end of the process as far as the licensing goes, but the city still plans to work with park managers to keep things in good condition. “We will work with them to get some stuff done, right now the issues of electrical and sanitary sewer connections are relatively caught up, and the rest will be caught up soon.”
Inspectors who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting noted that around a dozen trailers still have some sort of plumbing or electrical issues that need attention. A far cry from the original laundry list of nearly 250 violations the park faced under previous ownership, which prompted the city to pull its operating license in the spring of 2018.
Alders Dan Vergin and Scott Dunst voted against issuing the license. Alder Tharen Gorski abstained. The license will be good for the remainder of 2019 and like other city licenses will be inspected and renewed annually.
Hoen and other city leaders have long blamed the downfall of the park on poor communication between ownership and the city, something that the current group has improved on. “The on-site manager has been willing to do some things and help us out. That communication is much better, she seems to be willing to work with us and hopefully, that will continue on.”
City leaders voted in November to grant a conditional license after the park was sold late last summer and new owners began making improvements. The park was given 30 days to meet the conditions which included the submission of a revised site plan and building inspections. Some of the conditions had not been met by the December council meeting so leaders voted then, and again in January, to allow more time for park leadership to complete the conditions.
RELATED: Final compliance extension for Schofield Mobile Home Park granted
As for the residents, Hoehn says they can rest easy tonight knowing that they are in a better place with the city than they were last year. “Do the proper things that you do with your trailer and your home, you respect the place, and everything should be just fine. Just like an apartment building or anything else- be proud of where you live.”
