Homeowners with neighbors who have junk cars in their yard will have to wait until Clarksdale gets a more through policy and procedure in place before the city hauls off the clunkers.
The Clarksdale Commissioners agreed in mid-February to begin putting green stickers on non-moving, junk cars around town, Monday’s move was spearheaded by Clarksdale Mayor Chuck Espy.
“We need a more systematic approach,” said Espy at Monday’s city board meeting. “The issue I’m concerned with is once we start towing cars, there will be a monetary amount to get these vehicles back. Once we start this, people will be calling. We need to be prepared for that.”
Ward 1 Commissioner Bo Plunk said he had been told people with a green sticker on their car, were just peeling them off. Plunk asked about the current process and was told the city’s ordinance enforcement officer places a sticker on the windshield, takes a photo and documents the action.
Junk cars are a chronic problem in every neighborhood in Clarksdale and hurt property values.
The city began putting green stickers on junk cars in February that explain the vehicle is in violation of a city ordinance and must be removed within five days or it may be removed by the city that can then issue a citation or make an arrest.
“We need to take a look at our ordinance at the next meeting and if it doesn’t do what we are trying to do, we need to change it,” said Mayor Pro Tem Bo Plunk who led the Feb. 14 meeting in the absence of Mayor Chuck Espy who was out of town.
Plunk charged board attorney Melvin Miller to have that ordinance and the one allowing the city to clean up grown-up lots, send the property owner a bill and if it’s not paid, put a lien on the property.
“You need to have (the ordinance) in your hand and be ready to explain what we can and can’t do,” said Plunk. “There are a lot of junk cars in this town and the neighbors are tired of looking at them.
Ward 3 Commissioner Willie Turner said spring is approaching and tourist will soon be coming back to Clarksdale.
“There has been a lot of talk about the city being involved in some big projects, and we are, but we also need to keep up with the regular housekeeping,” said Turner. “We need to take a look at our grass cutting ordinance and then enforce it; our fines may not be good enough.”
Commissioner also asked the city public works, police and even City Hall staff to start making list of property that is a health and safety hazard and cars that have been parked on the street or in yards for too long.
Ward 2 Commissioner Ken Murphey said he has ridden with the city’s code enforcement officer who tagged several “non-functioning cars” in his ward.
“I’m tired of hearing us preach about low hanging fruit and people telling us to clean up the town,” said Murphey. “This is something we can control and this is something the community wants.”
Plunk also asked Miller to have a list at the next meeting of how much of the city’s $5 million 2019 bond has been spent, how much has been allocated to projects and how much the city has left.
“I also want to know where we are on those projects,” said Plunk. “I also want to know how much time we have left to spend the money on those projects. We’re two years into some of those projects and nothing has been done. I’ve seen checks for $20,000 and $30,000 come up here and I don’t see any work.”
The city did vote Monday to accept a grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation for $726,894 for the Sunflower sidewalk project from Highway 61 to Kaboom Park at the corner of Sunflower and Third Street.
The city also voted to accept a grant from the Delta Regional Authority for $560, 914 for the Sasse Street drainage project.
Details of those projects have not been explained and bids have not been let.
The city also tabled a new organizational chart for the police department. That move prompted the tabling of several other measures related to the police department.
Police Chief Robbie Linley had presented details of his plan to reorganize the department to commissioners last week. The old department chart had spots for 42 employees and the department currently has about 30 officers. Linley said he wants two assistant chiefs and has divided personnel into divisions, tasked with special equipment and training needs.
On a motion by Turner asking for more time to review the chart, and a second by Ward 4 Commissioner Ed Seals, the board voted 2-2. Plunk and Murphey voted to accept the chart. Mayor Chuck Espy cast the deciding vote to table the matter.
