By By JESSICA SIEFF / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Mary Dalenberg will not have to leave her home at the Hi Rise apartment complex, according to Niles Housing Commission board chairman Scott Clark.
Dalenberg had been served an eviction notice by former director David Martin. The eviction was based on two incidents, when Dalenberg's smoke alarm had been activated after food had apparently burned on her stove and tenants said she allegedly made threats against them. Dalenberg had acquired legal counsel to fight the eviction.
That eviction notice was followed by what could be termed as an internal implosion of the board. Martin was shortly thereafter terminated. A meeting between the board with HUD followed, raising allegations that two members, Clark and Georgia Boggs were operating on a conflict of interest. Residents unhappy with the decision to terminate Martin showed up in force to that meeting – carrying signs that supported their former director.
Most recently, Juan Ganum, a member of the board, had spoken with the Star about moves to get an interim director in place on the board – so work could continue and things could get back to normal.
And as the board tries to move forward – the eviction situation is now officially crossed off their list of things to do. And it only took "five minutes," Clark said.
"Well, I just called Mary … and we worked out an amicable resolution," he added.
Dalenberg can stay. Her stove can not.
Martin terminated former legal counsel for the board. So the resolution took place directly between Clark and counsel for Dalenberg. "We couldn't get emergency counsel," Clark said.
"So I just took it upon myself, and called Mary and put it away.
"Things just got out of hand," he added. "I think our job is to help people stay there and not evict them."
Someone in their 90s, said Clark, with no relatives and no place to go, no money to move elsewhere shouldn't be forced out of their home. "Give me a break," he said.
Clark believes that the housing commission board will be happy with the decision, as well as Mayor Michael McCauslin and City Administrator Terry Eull. "It's a pretty good compromise when everybody's happy," he said.
On Tuesday at a meeting of the Niles Housing Commission board, Clark said he asked board members if there would be any problem with him meeting Dalenberg to which they said they saw no problem. "It took five minutes," Clark said.
So what's next? Clark's position along with Boggs -is still in question – and nobody has made any decisions just yet. Clark said that he would wait and do what McCauslin and Eull tell him to do, but was quick to come to the defense of his fellow board member.
"Georgia Boggs only has the best interest of those people at heart," he said. For her to lose her seat on the board, "would be a travesty."
In regards to the Dalenberg situation as well as events that have occurred in the aftermath of Martin's termination, Clark commented, "I think this whole thing has been blown way out of proportion."
Does he think that the board will resume a measure of control, get back to work and get things back to normal? "You bet," he said. "It just takes a little bit of time, you know."