Fox Lake police chief says he's working to clean up motel

Fox Lake Police Chief Mike Behan said he is taking steps to end the criminal activity at the Marina Motel if the business can correct its building code violations and continue operating.

Behan said his department is working with Lake County state's attorney's and the Illinois attorney general's offices on a nuisance abatement ordinance that would allow officials to close the motel at 123 S. Route 12.

"We have an aggressive police patrol there now and arrest patrons when it needs to be done, but we are limited in what we do by the scope of the law," he said. "We need something stronger to stop the drug and other problems there once and for all."

Behan said the nuisance abatement would enable a judge to close the motel for up to one year should drug sales and use and other crimes continue. It also would push the motel and its owner, Joseph Wulf, to keep better track of who is staying there, he added.

"Under the abatement, we will have more ability to control the clients that come in and stop the owner from renting rooms to certain people," Behan said. "And, we can hold the owner accountable for the people he does rent to."

Wulf is trying to make repairs after the motel was cited for more than 60 health, business and building code violations earlier this month. A portion of the motel is open for business.

Wulf was ordered to make most of those repairs using licensed professionals before a building inspection scheduled for Thursday. If the work is not completed, the building would be closed and its business license revoked.

Building commissioner Bill Hart said Wulf has applied for only one permit, but it won't be issued until a certified building contractor is hired to perform the work.

"He must have a skilled contractor do the repairs, and so far, it looks like he has used unskilled labor in the past to make improvements," Hart said. "So, until he brings in a skilled contractor, we aren't letting him do the work."

Problems at the motel came to a head when police responded to an emergency call and found a disabled man living in squalor. Police called in the building department to inspect the entire motel, which led to discovery of the code violations.

According to the order signed by Mayor Ed Bender, the second-floor rooms cannot be occupied until the stairway and railings have been repaired based on plans prepared by a structural engineer and approved by the building department. The building also has several plumbing violations.

"I've talked with our plumbing inspector, and he is not happy with the work being done," Hart said. "All the issues on the list need to be fixed or the business will be shut down."

The owner must also pay motel taxes dating back to 2006.