Blighted lot near West Park entrance to be cleaned up after county purchases it

By Michael Wetzel

For the Enquirer

NEEL — An eyesore near the entrance into the Morgan County-owned West Park in the Danville-Neel community will be cleaned by the end of September after the County Commission purchased the property this week.

District 2 Commissioner Randy Vest said the commission approved during its meeting last week paying Ray Vest, no relation, $29,000 plus closing costs for the blighted 0.8 acre.

According to the Morgan County Probate Office’s records, Ray Vest purchased the property from Wanda Tittle of Somerville for $23,000 in May.

Ray Vest said he owns property next to the lot and had plans to clean it up.

“I purchased it from a family about three months ago,” he said. “I own adjoining property and wanted to buy it and clean it up, but I know the county has been interested in that property for several years.”

He said he reached out to Commissioner Vest and Commission Chairman Ray Long a couple of months ago. “I believe when it is cleaned up it will be beneficial to the county, the community and the surrounding properties,” he said. “It will help the property value go up.”

The purchase closed Tuesday.

In the past decade, the property at the corner of Iron Man Road and Targum Road has been a frequent site of activities involving drugs and guns, according to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.

In February 2021, FBI, Decatur Police SWAT and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the property at 1494 Targum Road and seized illegal narcotics, including methamphetamine and firearms. Two people, believed to be residents on the property, were charged with felony drug charges and two others from Hartselle were charged with misdemeanor drug charges.

At the time, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Mike Swafford said the department had been to the property “numerous times” in a 15-month span.

“At least nine weapons were seized including some that were modified and/or had serial numbers filed off,” Swafford said.

Randy Vest said the corner lot has been a constant source of calls to his office.

“Of all the issues that have come before me, I get approached about that lot more than any other,” he said. “It is the first thing you see going into West Park. That is where our park sign is. We get a lot of comments from the community, the people who live near the park but also from people who visit. Everybody sees it. People who visit if they are from Morgan County or a travel ball team from somewhere else are always asking, ‘Why don’t we do something about that lot?’”

He said the county talked with previous owners of the lot about cleaning it up or selling it to the county, but made no progress.

“Morgan County doesn’t have ordinances about lots, so we have to legally approach it the best way we can. We’ve been talking with some of the relatives who owned the property. Ray Vest, who owned the adjacent property was able to approach them and was able to buy the property, and then being a good neighbor, he approached the county and said his goal was to get this mess cleaned up because it will help the look of the community and help the value of the property.”

Randy Vest said it could be late September before his crew will be able to clean it up. “Once the gymnasium that is being built at West Park opens, we’ll have more traffic there,” he said. “It will be an area the people of the county will be pleased to see when they are driving into the park.”

The corner lot may be used for additional parking, but no decision has been finalized, Randy Vest said. “Parks and Recreation will maintain it whatever we decide to do with it.”