City Declares Wheeling Island Residence a Public Nuisance
Photo by Eric Ayres Trending
WHEELING -- City leaders in Wheeling declared a property on Wheeling Island to be a public nuisance because of conditions at the residence, and officials are taking action to resolve the lingering problems there.
Last month, a resolution was introduced before Wheeling City Council to accept the recommendation of the city manager that conditions regarding property located at 11 Florida St. present a public nuisance, finding that just cause exists to abate such nuisance and that a hearing be held in accordance with city codes.
This week, that public hearing took place prior to the regular City Council meeting, with officials from the city’s code enforcement, sanitation and police departments testifying, along with the owner of the property, his next-door neighbor and a maintenance worker who has helped take care of the property on occasion.
Wheeling City Solicitor Rosemary Humway-Warmuth presided over the public hearing, where slides of photos from the property were displayed, showing dog feces and garbage strewn about outside the home.
"We received a total of seven complaints over the past year or so in regards to sanitation issues with the property, in addition to dog issues with the property," Chet Oldfield, code official for the city of Wheeling’s Building and Planning Department, said.
Property maintenance citations were issued because of the conditions, which included observations by inspectors of dogs ripping apart garbage bags through a chain-link fence, Oldfield indicated.
The dogs did not appear to be malnourished, he said, but there were sanitary issues at the site, with dog excrement in the yard and in the adjacent alley.
Chris Helminski, sanitation and recycling superintendent, said crews have been called to the property because of various complaints.
"The sanitary department alone has received five different 311 concerns for the property since 2023, with the most recent one on July 7," Helminski said, noting that crews came to the site to clean up a mess from loose garbage that had been reported in early July.
"We spent quite a bit of time cleaning up with our own time and our own supplies," Helminski said.
Wheeling Police Deputy Chief Terry Walls said several law enforcement calls were logged at the address since January 2025. Police responded to 12 incidents involving the property or people associated with the property, Walls said. This included calls for dogs at large.
On one occasion, students at Madison Elementary had to avoid the playground when the dogs were loose, officials said.
"The school safety officer was contacted and asked to keep all of the students inside of the school until the dogs could be removed," Walls said.
Property owner Robert E. Lawson Jr., who is elderly, was assisted to the podium by Joe Vincent, who helps him occasionally with maintenance there.
"I’m a veteran. You people are harassing me, and I don’t like it," Lawson said. "I will go to the VA to get a damn attorney to see what he has to say about this. So I ask that this hearing be continued until I can get my attorney."
The hearing proceeded.
A next-door neighbor, Michael Monroe, also spoke, noting that he has helped his neighbor in the past by clearing ice from the walkway and carrying in groceries, but the situation with the dogs and the sanitation has gotten "out of control" recently. He said his family cannot even grill out and relax outside because the odor from the dog feces is so overwhelming.
City officials said the animals are the major concern, and the city solicitor said they should not remain on the property.
"I called the animal shelter to come pick up three of the puppies, and they say there’s no room," Lawson said. "I have three dogs, which are service dogs, and I will not relinquish them."
Humway-Warmuth asked council to affirm that a public nuisance exists and must be abated, that the property must be cleaned of debris, garbage must be disposed of and garbage cans must be used and maintained.
Lawson has been cited in municipal court over the past year, but problems continue to exist, officials said. This public nuisance action provides another avenue in which the city can attempt to abate the nuisance. If a good-faith effort is not given to address the ongoing issues at the property, the city could have the dogs removed and rehoused, and the city could place a lien against the property, the city solicitor said.
Vice Mayor Jerry Sklavounakis suggested that the city make a referral to Adult Protective Services to see if Lawson could receive help in maintaining the property.