Dateline: November 21, 2002

City orders house to be demolished

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen voted to take action against property owners at 107 E. Front Street and to tear down an old house at that address.

City officials had declared in July that the house owned by Benny and Janet Harris constituted a fire hazard and was a “dangerous structure” under local municipal ordinances. Weeds and debris on the property were also determined to be a public nuisance at the same time, and the aldermen gave the owners 30 days to clean up their lots and to either fix or remove the house.

Last week, the board found that the property owners had not made any progress in correcting the problems and voted unanimously to clean up the lots and tear down the house.

Aldermen considered taking action on a trailer house at the same address, in which Mr. and Mrs. Harris live, but it will not be demolished. City Attorney James Shelton advised the board that the city would have to go through the district court to touch the trailer since it is considered to be a homestead.

No timetable was set for the clean up and demolition work. According to previous comments in city meetings, municipal workers have cleaned the property twice in the past, and a church group has cleaned it once.

The board also discussed nuisances at other properties in town last week and began the legal steps to take action against those owners as well.

In other city business, engineer Che Shadle discussed the paving work to be done under the NRCS and ORCA grants in the southeastern part of town. The fieldwork has been completed, and paving and curb and gutter work on 14 blocks should begin next spring when warm weather returns. Possible easements needed on Thurman Avenue were discussed.

City Superintendent Jim Roberts reported that Clarendon has been approved for a $29,900 grant for a loader and yard ramp at the recycling center.

City Secretary Linda Smith brought up the annual employee dinner, and a date was set for this. Smith also asked Shelton for clarification on animal permits for residents whose property is only partially inside the city limits. Shelton said anyone with livestock in the city limits must comply with the ordinance.

The employee uniform contract with Unifirst was discussed, and the board directed the city attorney to draft a letter terminating the contract on December 31, 2002. 

The aldermen also voted to write a letter to AEP-WTU regarding a proposed Pole Attachment Agreement informing the electric company that the city already has an agreement and feels a new one is unnecessary. AEP had requested the city sign an agreement to place holiday decorations on streetlights downtown and charge the city for any electricity used.

The contract with the Donley Appraisal District was discussed, and aldermen expressed frustration with the way the appraisal board is comprised. The entity that collects the most taxes has the most votes and can control who is appointed to the board. The city does not have enough votes on its own to appoint someone to the board. The aldermen also discussed the district’s budget.

The contract with the district was approved with Aldermen Bob Watson and Mark White voting in favor, Aldermen Tommy Hill and Michael Tibbets against, and Alderman Janice Knorpp not voting. Mayor Tex Selvidge broke the tie with a vote in favor.

Tibbets said he understood the catch-22 the city was in with needing the district to collect its taxes but said he voted against the contract because he wanted the public to know there is an issue with the district’s budget.