THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2008
Please Get Rid Of This Dump!
Village Helps Resolve Dumpster Debate
By CRAIG ADAMS
Journal Reporter
After several months, the village of Mt. Prospect helped negotiate the removal of a Dumpster on Monday, May 12.
"It's a huge mess." That's how Nick Scarercia summed up his situation last week. Scarercia lives at 114 S. Bobby Lane where a Dumpster has sat since last year---a Dumpster that has led to aggravation and expense. "He's holding us hostage with the Dumpster," Scarercia said.
His problems began when he hired Artisan General Contractors, Inc. of Mundelein, to put a second-story addition on his home. While Artisan worked on the home, they contracted with Liberty Waste & Recycling Services, also of Mundelein, to supply Dumpsters to the work site.
"There were maybe four or five Dumpsters coming in and out," Scarercia explained. Near the end of December, Scarercia fired Artisan, saying they "did a terrible job on our house." According to the Illinois Secretary of State, the Artisan corporation is "not in good standing." The number listed for the company, and its president, Don Johnson, is disconnected.
However, Artisan left one of Liberty's Dumpsters in his driveway. Scarercia called Liberty in January to ask the owner, Kenneth Laning Sr., for the Dumpster's removal. "He called me back and said, 'You owe me $2,185,'" Scarercia said, the fee for all the Dumpsters for the entire length of the Artisan project.
Scarercia explained in his contract with Artisan, that company took responsibility for the Dumpster and he paid them for the equipment. However, telling that to Laning was ineffective, according to Scarercia. He even offered to pay $385, the price for the one Dumpster from January to March after he had fired Artisan, but Laning refused that payment and refused to come pick up the unit. "He told me, 'It's not moving until I get that money,'" Scarercia said.
Scarercia also wondered if Laning received any money from Artisan. He said while the Dumpsters were coming and going, workers for Liberty did the pickups and deliveries. "At no time did they say we have not been paid by these people," he said. "It makes me wonder if this guy is pulling a scam on us. He may have already been paid by Artisan."
The Village of Mt. Prospect tried to intervene in the conflict. Bill Schroeder of the community development department met with Scarercia on several occasions trying to seek a resolution between him and Liberty. Scarercia said he had a conference call with Laning and village officials the morning of Monday, May 12, but could not reach a resolution. With the Dumpster blocking his driveway and garage, he's also received tickets from the police department for parking on the street overnight.
However, on Tuesday, May 13, Schroeder said the parties reached a resolution Monday afternoon. He confirmed Liberty would remove the Dumpster on Tuesday or Wednesday. "An inspector will go by this afternoon," he said on Tuesday. The Journal & Topics Newspapers was unable to reach Scarercia before deadline to ask his reactions to the resolution.
In the previous interview, Scarercia wondered if he could have someone else take the Dumpster off his property. He ended up contacting an attorney after a conversation with Laning regarding that idea. "He (Laning) said if I move the Dumpster, I will be charged with theft," Scarercia said. He was considering some type of legal action against Liberty, perhaps charging the company with trespass, to try to end the standoff.
Kenneth Laning, Sr. did not return calls from the Journal & Topics Newspapers regarding the Dumpster.