City Experiencing Increase in Complaints Regarding Dilapidated Properties

BY LEANN DILBECK –

The City of Mena’s Ordinance No. 2051, better known as the “Beautification Ordinance,” came under discussion during the August City Council meeting held recently as City Attorney Danny Thrailkill explained that Tammy Stockton had six citations waiting to be issued to property owners that were in violation. City officials said that there had been an increase in complaints.

The “Beautification Ordinance” was passed in 2003 and as Thrailkill explained to those in attendance, there was significant “push-back” from citizens. Thrailkill described the ordinance as “watered-down” because of a difficult meeting held on June 9, 2003, in which citizens were very vocal in their resistance of having the standards imposed.

Thrailkill explained that there are a myriad of situations surrounding the cases and enforcing the ordinance is very complex. He cited the former Councell’s Corner property in which efforts have been made to clean-up and bring into compliance but now the property owner has appealed the District Court’s decision to the Circuit Court. A court date was scheduled for August 13 but a continuance has been filed due to an illness. He said in many cases, there are absentee owners, or it is in an estate and the value of the real estate is worth less than the cost of the clean-up or demolition.

Thrailkill explained that the City had been very lenient since the tornado in allowing residents sufficient time to clean-up or seek assistance to clean-up. “But now is the time to get things cleaned-up.”

Concurring with Thrailkill, Mena Mayor George McKee explained, consideration now has to be given to the community as a whole, how tourists view the community, and the effects that dilapidated properties have on surrounding property owners.

CLICK to read the complete ordinance:  [button color=”red” size=”small” link=”http://mypulsenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Ord2051.pdf” ]Beautification Ordinance[/button]

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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