Officials target lots for cleanup

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, August 16, 2006

A public hearing Tuesday offered citizens whose property hasbeen targeted for cleanup an opportunity to explain theirsituations and get extra time or face financial charges for citycrews doing the work.

Building Inspector Walter Temple recently sent letters to over40 property owners urging them to address old cars, overgrown areasand other unsightly conditions.

“These are properties we’ve received complaints about,” saidMayor Bob Massengill in opening the hearing.

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Only a handful of property owners showed up last night to pleadtheir case. City officials indicated some other owners hadresponded prior to last night’s meeting.

Property owners who have responded were given a standard 30 daysto address their situations. For others, the city planned to moveforward with cleanup and charge costs for the work back to theproperty owners.

Three hearing participants last night were not targeted propertyowners but neighbors of a Main Street car lot that has been aconcern for some time. Big Bargain Used Cars, owned by Lawrence andGwen Smith, features a number of vehicles that do not appear to beoperable.

“It’s a shame people have to drive through a junkyard when theygo to church,” said neighbor Bill Loving. “That’s what it amountsto.”

The Smiths were not present at last night’s meeting. Loving andcity officials acknowledged the owners had responded to the cityletters and mowed the lot over the weekend.

“I’m thinking this meeting had something to do with that,”Loving said.

However, officials indicated work done so far was insufficientto meet city demands. Massengill said the lot is on the list foraction by the city.

“We feel we’ve got a plan for dealing with that,” the mayorsaid.

Also mentioned was Smith property on nearby Railroad Street.Ward One Alderman Dorsey Cameron promised action on that front aswell.

“We’re going to deal with all that at the same time,” Cameronsaid.

In several contentious exchanges, a couple of neighbors of WardTwo Alderman Terry Bates took issue with how the city had handledthe request for cleanup and their belief that they were singledout.

They suggested Bates could have contacted them personally andalso alluded to surrounding properties that have been unkempt foryears. The alderman said the city has a procedure to follow andalso urged other citizens to address their areas.

“If everybody would clean their property from the back to thestreet, we wouldn’t have it,” Bates said about unsightly areas.

REGULAR MEETING

During last night’s regular meeting, Ward Three Alderwoman MaryWilson updated board members on the progress of a sign and lightingproject for downtown. She said sample streets signs for a committeeto review have been ordered and an engineer has been hired to layout the lighting plan.

“Things are moving slow, but we’re making progress,” Wilsonsaid.

Among other projects, Massengill gave aldermen a proposedtimetable for completion of the Multi-Modal TransportationFacility. The schedule, from architect Michael Barranco, calls forbids to be received later this year and for construction to becompleted in July 2007.

“It’s been on the drawing board a long time. It’s time to moveforward,” Massengill said.

Also last night, aldermen moved to explore the possibility ofthe Mississippi Department of Transportation taking overmaintenance of Brookway Boulevard, passed a letter of city supportfor an Alexander Teen Center restoration effort and agreed toconsider Brookhaven becoming a certified local governmentcommunity. Certified status would allow supporters of a HavenTheatre restoration effort to seek a grant for the project.

In a continuing effort to recognize employees with five years ormore service to the city, Water Department workers were honoredlast night. Recognized employees and their years of serviceincluded Superintendent Lanny Dickey, 15 years; Calvin Carter, 20;Johnnie King, 19; Reggie Melton, 19; Willie Gayten, 17; JenniferPeets, 17; Chuck Dunn, 15; Charlie Williams, 13; Eugene Allbritton,10; Eric Crossley, 10; and Salina Hardy, six.