| Obion’s slum ordinance to be enforced | | Posted: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 9:09 pm
| By KEVIN BOWDEN
Staff Reporter
Obion Police Chief Royce Aker will be sending out letters later this month alerting residents about the city’s slum ordinance and the city’s ordinance dealing with hazardous and unsightly properties.
The Obion City Council met for an hour and a half Monday night and agreed to have Aker send out letters to about 10 to 12 property owners around town.
The council is attempting to get some of the city’s rundown properties cleaned up. The slum ordinance deals primarily with dilapidated buildings around town, while the other ordinance targets lots cluttered with abandoned vehicles and trash and that are overgrown.
Also during Monday night’s meeting, the council discussed a recent notice from the city’s insurance carrier, the Tennessee Municipal League, concerning two sections of sidewalks in town in need of repair. The TML identified a sidewalk section at 904 Palestine and a second section at 702 Palestine that need repair work.
There is some question as to who is responsible for repairing the two sidewalk sections, the city or the property owners at those addresses. No action was taken at Monday’s meeting, but the council will look into who is responsible for making the repairs.
Approval was also given at the meeting to authorize Aker to spend up to $4,500 to build new dog pens that will be used to handle stray animals picked up by the police department.
City recorder Jana Fluty will work with Obion Fire Chief Jamie Evans on drafting a new ordinance that establishes fees for fire calls outside the city limits for residents not covered by the county fire protection program. Evans presented the council Monday night with copies of the ordinance currently being used in Hornbeak and that ordinance will be used to establish the fee structure for Obion.
The ordinance is expected to be ready for the council’s consideration later this month.
In other action, the council:
• Approved the first of two readings of an ordinance establishing increases for cemetery lots and perpetual care services for Obion’s Rose Hill Cemetery on the north side of town.
• Voted to continue using Joe Enoch & Associates of Dyersburg to do the city’s audit.
Staff Reporter Kevin Bowden may be contacted by email at kmbowden@ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 5.9.12 | | | | |
