JUNEAU — The Assembly has voted to spend $250,000 to hire contractors to cleanup an illegal junkyard that officials have been trying to shut down for at least four years.
The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly made the decision in a 7-1 vote last week after Dale Losselyong failed to sufficiently comply with court orders to clean up his property in Mendenhall Valley, Juneau Empire reported.
There are about 260 derelict vehicles on Losselyong’s property, where he has run an illegal junkyard and car repair and sales business since at least 2016, city officials said.
The property is not zoned for commercial activity and Losselyong has impeded public safety and health by closing a road and has violated noise ordinances by conducting business outside permitted hours, officials said.
“The question is, is it right?” asked Brandon Marx, Dale Losselyong’s attorney. “It could break him, it could put him into bankruptcy, everything he’s worked for may be lost.” https://t.co/kvqlYTp0AU
— Juneau Empire (@JuneauEmpire) January 17, 2020
There were more than 420 cars when the community development department first visited the property, officials said.
Losselyong previously owned Capital Towing and routinely allegedly towed vehicles to the property, city officials said.
Losselyong was not at the city meeting and could not immediately be reached for comment.
The Assembly obtained court orders against Losselyong in April 2019 to clean the property, but he has since not fully complied in the order to remove the vehicles, officials said.
Some vehicles were removed, but it is unclear where they were moved and if the new location is permitted, Community Development Department Director Jill Maclean said.
Only cars have been removed and not the all-terrain vehicles, boats or other vehicles currently housed at the junkyard, Maclean said.
Island Contractors was hired for the cleanup and the company would be responsible for removing the vehicles from the city.
The city should not expect to get the money back after Losselyong had so far failed to follow orders from the court, including the monthly transfer of $10,000 to an escrow account to pay for the cleanup, Assembly member Maria Gladziszewski said.
The city still has legal means of obtaining funds from Losselyong, such as a court order lien on his property, Assistant City Attorney Teresa Brown told the Assembly.