This home at 1015 E. Main St., Warsaw, could be demolished early next year if the owners don’t make changes and bring it into compliance with code enforcement and health officials. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

WARSAW – Jail time was apparently not enough to turn things around for Jason and Bobby Wade and their home at 1015 E. Main St., Warsaw.

After two years of trying to convince the couple to bring their house up to code – with only some cooperation – code enforcement Hearing Officer Thomas Earhart ordered the house to be demolished.

The couple has ten days to appeal and develop a plan of action to make improvements to stave off demolition.

The Wades, jailed earlier this year on a contempt charge after failing to meet a judge’s orders to clean up the exterior, were aware of Tuesday’s code enforcement hearing and did not attend, according to Dana Hewitt, the city’s code enforcement officer.

If an appeal is not made in the next ten days, the city will seek bids to demolish the structure, Hewitt said.

The house could be demolished early next year, Hewitt said.

Problems with the property began nearly two years ago when a large amount of debris from a scrap collection operation began piling up in the backyard and driveway.

While much of that debris was cleaned up, code enforcement and health department officials found numerous violations inside and outside of the house.

The couple recently received a list of 28 violations that need to be addressed. The violations range from structural to health violation, Hewitt said.

Kosciusko County Health Department condemned the property earlier this year.

“We were hoping they would come forward with a plan of action,” Hewitt said.

The house is east of McKinley Park.

In other matters, the representative for the Economy Inn on US 30 told the city Tuesday that they are working on plans to replace the roof, which was torn off in a storm earlier this year.

A temporary cover has been placed over the top of the building, but the structure has sustained significant damage from being exposed, said Cole Kline.

The business, located behind American Table Restaurant, is not open.

Kline said interior repairs will be needed after a new roof is constructed.

In another case, a homeowner who replaced her windows with smaller, under-sized windows that don’t meet code, is working with the city to install bigger windows with help from a grant made available through Warsaw Housing Authority.

Dixie Starkweather was previously ordered by a judge to install bigger windows because the new windows are not large enough to allow occupants or firefighters to exit or enter.

Hewitt said they’re continuing to work with Starkweather.

That case, as well as the case involving the hotel case, will be reviewed at the next code enforcement on Jan. 28.

The city also dismissed two cases in which property owners made changes to their properties in order to comply with code enforcement. Those include the Ruckman family and a property at 530 N. Park Ave., and Terri Davis and a property at 602 S. McClellan St.