`IT'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT'; MAN UNABLE TO GET SEWAGE SYSTEM FIXED.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

The trickle of raw sewage meandered slowly downhill from the Hacienda Vasquez Mobile Home Park to Ron Zega's property Wednesday morning, and it wasn't the first time.

Zega said he has had problems with the park for two years, since Mitchell Salmonson bought the property. Since then, no repairs have been made, he said.

Zega wants it cleaned up, and he's tried over and over to get someone to do something. Despite his repeated telephone calls, the trickle remains.

Zega has built himself an attractive outdoor patio with a barbecue and patio chairs. But he said it isn't unusual for him to move an outdoor picnic indoors when the stench gets too strong.

``I can't enjoy it out here because of the smell,'' Zega said. ``Well, we're taxpayers and we're not getting the service we deserve . . . Nobody does anything. It's always somebody else's fault.''

``I called the county and the county said it's not our problem, it's the state's problem,'' Zega said. ``I called the state and they said it's no longer our problem. The park's license to operate has been suspended. The county has to get it cleaned up.''

This has been the problem since Salmonson was convicted of child endangerment and sent to jail in April after a child at the park fell into raw sewage.

His brother, Richard Salmonson took over management for several months before a judge turned responsibility over to receiver Mark Weinstein, president of MJW Investments of Santa Monica, in July.

The tenants, who sought legal help from the San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Services, had sought the receivership, hoping to improve the situation.

But as far as Zega can tell, the situation seems to be getting worse.

The state housing department decided in September to issue a warning to Weinstein, threatening to revoke the park's license in mid-October if the leaky septic system was not repaired and other problems resolved.

Weinstein has argued that he has been unable to make improvements on the property because the tenants refuse to pay rent. The tenants have said they will not pay until the park is in decent condition.

Since no improvements were made, the license was revoked. State officials have argued that without a permit, the park is illegal and the county Health Department is responsible for forcing owners to clean the property or forcing residents to leave.

But the county has no intention of being the bad guy. The state, county officials have said, should pay to relocate the residents.

While the battle continues, Zega still must tolerate the stench that creeps across his property whenever the septic tank leaks.

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Photo

Photo: (Color) Ron Zega stands on his Agua Dulce property, which he says is occasionally fouled by sewage from a neighboring mobile-home park.

Terri Thuente/Daily News